10-man Mansfield Town throw away unlikely point with needless late penalty at Port Vale

Ryan Sweeney's early red card had left Stags up against it and Devante Cole put struggling Vale ahead soon after the break.

But, on an afternoon when home keeper Joe Gauchi had not had a single save to make, sub Rhys Oates looked to have rescued a point out of the blue with a superb 86th minute equaliser.

However, Evans' silly push on Ronan Curtis ruined that as Vale, who had only produced their first League One win of the season a week before, made it two wins in two.

Depleted Stags had suffered a torrid first half as first skipper Sweeney was dismissed with just 14 minutes played for a foul as last man and then Forest loanee striker Joe Gardner limped off before the break injured just a week after making his comeback from a pre-season knock.

The problems mounted as Jordan Bowery failed to come back out for the second half and then on 53 minutes Cole found the breakthrough goal from close range.

But Oates provided the magic moment four minutes from time with a superb finish that looked set to earn an unlikely point.

However, a crazy push by Evans on Curtis in the box deep into added time gifted Curtis the winner from the spot.

Boss Nigel Clough, who already had seven players missing with injury, made two changes from last weekend with George Maris and Louis Reed replaced by Aaron Lewis and Gardner.

Striker Oates returned to the squad for the first time since being injured at Chesterfield in August.

On a very wet afternoon in Burslem, Mansfield comfortably repelled Vale's early probing, Blake-Tracy cutting out a dangerous low Gabriel cross.

Roberts then had a shot blocked in Mansfield's first forward foray on seven minutes.

But a route one move on 12 minutes almost saw Stags undone.

Keeper Gauci cleared long and Cole got goalside of Bowery to go clear. But Roberts got his legs in the way of a poor attempt to beat him on his near post.

Worst was to come as Sweeney was sent off two minutes later.

Paton rolled him superbly from Cole's flick to begin to go clear and he was hauled down.

With Sweeney the last man, the referee had little choice but to produce a red card and Stags faced a long afternoon with 10 men.

Stags keeper Roberts then went down with an injury which looked designed to give Stags a 'time out' team talk as they worked out how to cope with Sweeney's loss.

Blake-Tracy and Knoyle moved inside to form a three man central defence with Evans and Gardner dropping in as wing backs. Tyler Roberts became the lone striker.

Liam Roberts was comfortably behind a 20 yard volley from Garrity on 20 minutes, then Moriah-Welsh blocked a Byers blast from just outside the penalty area.

Byers was well over from a Gabriel set-up after a nice move from the Valiants as the home side continued to look for an opener.

They came closer on 32 minutes as Gordon tricked his way past Gardner on the left and crossed for Garrity to meet it with a header from seven yards that Roberts was able to save, the Vale man knowing he should have done better with the chance.

Mansfield were dealt another blow when Gardner, only just back from injury and looking impressive, went down on 39 minutes and was replaced by McLaughlin.

Evans moved over to right wing back and McLaughlin to his accustomed left wing back role.

Garrity was well wide from long range just after the change and Paton did the same in the final minute of the half

The game went into five added minutes and in the last of those Vale came as close as they had all game as Humphreys drilled a low ball across the box from the right and Garrity turned it on target from six yards to force a great save from Roberts with his legs.

So the 10 men had reached the halfway point with their goal intact and few moments of major concern.

Bowery did not re-emerge for the second half which suggested another injury for the visitors, McAdam replacing him, going to left wing back and McLaughlin moving into the heart of defence.

Paton was wide of the far post with the first attempt of the second half on 50 minutes.

But the breakthrough came on 53 minutes.

A Paton cross from the right took a deflection and bounced perfectly for Cole to force it home from close range, giving Roberts no chance.

A scuffle between Paton and Lewis on 56 minutes saw both players booked.

Then Vale came close again as Devante tried for the top corner and, with the ball, going wide, Faal was just unable to turn it home at the far post.

Mansfield needed a spark and on 61 minutes Oates and Dickov took over from Tyler Roberts and Lewis.

Within seconds a Dickov cross almost dropped for Mariah-Welsh, just beaten to it by Gauci.

Roberts was behind a Garrity overhead effort on 65 minutes before Gordon was booked for a late tackle on Evans six minutes later as the rain intensified.

Evans might have at least tested the keeper on 73 minutes as Blake-Tracy headed down a Moriah-Welsh ball. Evans swung a foot at it but completely missed the ball.

Dickov then chased a McAdam through ball, but it raced away from him on the wet surface and through to Gauci and safety.

Desperate Mansfield sent on Dwyer for the last six minutes in place of Moriah-Welsh.

And with four minutes remaining Oates provided the moment of brilliance that Mansfield needed as he raced onto a searching Dickov ball out to the right, cut inside and picked out the top left hand corner in style.

With the heavy rain leaving standing water on the pitch by now, Brown headed over and Faal pulled a low shot at Roberts as Vale's supporters streamed out the ground.

Six minutes were added and Mansfield seemed to be comfortably seeing them out until Curtis ran into the left of the box and Evans pushed him over.

Irish international Curtis had got behind Evans but was running away from the goal and the challenge was uneccesary.

The referee pointed to the spot and Curtis sent Roberts the wrong way to punish a moment of madness and provide a shattering end to the afternoon for over 1,800 travelling Mansfield fans.

PORT VALE: Gauci, Hall, Gabriel, Byers, Garrity, Gordon, Paton (G. Hall 58), Croasdale (Curtis HT), Debrah (Faal HT), (Heneghan 79) Humphreys, Cole (Brown 79). SUBS NOT USED: Marosi, Ojo.

STAGS: L. Roberts, Knoyle, Bowery (McAdam HT), Sweeney, Blake-Tracy, McDonnell, Lewis (Dickov 61), Moriah-Welsh (Dwyer 84), Gardner (McLaughlin 39), Evans, T. Roberts (Oates 61). SUBS NOT USED: Mason, Flanagan.

REFEREE: Alex Chilowicz.

ATTENDANCE: 9,013 (1,879 away).