Stags were beaten by a 74th minute penalty after Jake Buxton had been given a straight red card as last man for the foul and more survival points slipped away.

• Stockport County 2 Mansfield Town 1

"Decisions alter the course of games and we are disappointed but not down.

"If that was a penalty then I think awarding the kick was punishment enough. I don't think Jake was the last man - there were others in and around.

"Their first goal came from a corner that was clearly a goal kick. Their lad ran to the corner laughing. It was obvious.

"And Muggs (Carl Muggleton) felt he was fouled as it came over for their goal.

"He said if the ball had not gone into the net for our goal then he would have given a penalty for their keeper's foul on Mickey Boulding. But I wonder if he would have sent the keeper off as well. It's all ifs and buts.

"I have to be careful what I say as I can get into trouble. The ref said I could go in and talk to him but I am going to stay well away from him. I think he can be disappointed with his performance tonight."

Holland added: "Stockport are not a bad side and are not up there for nothing. But we are disappointed how we have lost the game. As usual we have been told by their management that we are too good to go down but we are down there for a reason too. We have to work hard to get out of it.

"We have nothing to be ashamed of tonight. We played our part in a good League Two game.

"We now have to regroup and prepare for Macclesfield on Saturday which we know is a huge game.

"Nothing changes. We are still three points behind Notts County and on a better run of form.

"We don't know if Jake gets one or three games for that red but he will miss Saturday and Gareth Jelleyman got a whack on his Achille's tendon and is touch and go. So I have one or two things to think about. But if Gareth can pull on a yellow jersey on Saturday I know he will."

Boulding was bemused to be awarded the goal but happy to take it.

"I definitely flicked it towards goal as their keeper came out but he just totally wiped me out and I have no idea what happened after that," he said.

"We knew we'd be up against it after scoring but we didn't lead for long at all. The referee gave them a corner when it was a goalkick and they scored. That bit of luck went against us.

"They put us under a lot of pressure in the second half. I am not too sure about the sending off as there looked to be a few lads around. It is one of those things."