Battling Mansfield Town sunk by late Wycome Wanderers winner
Battling Mansfield Town were sunk by an 87th minute winner as managerless title-chasers Wycombe Wanderers edged a 2-1 win at a freezing One Call Stadium this afternoon.
Classy Wycombe had the best of the first half and finally went ahead on 57 minutes as Richard Kone netted the follow-up after Scott Flinders had saved his penalty kick.
Stags sub Lucas Akins then levelled on 68 minutes, just two minutes after joining the action.
But Chairboys sub Garath McCleary stole a late winner to maintain their chase at he top, despite losing manager Matt Bloomfield to Luton Town in the week.
The Stags side showed six changes from the team knocked out of the FA Cup at home by Wigan in midweek.
Goalkeeper Flinders started a league game for the first time this season in place of Christy Pym while Deji Oshilaja, Louis Reed, George Maris, Aaron Lewis and Will Evans came in for Alfie Kilgour, Stephen McLaughlin, Matthew Craig, Stephen Quinn and Lucas Akins.
Stags went with a back four with Cargill at left back and a midfield diamond.
An early Hewitt cross was just too high for Gregory at the far post in Mansfield's first attack.
A loose pass by Oshilaja then sent Onyedinma on his way down the right and Stags made hard work of clearing his low cross as two Wycombe shots were blocked.
Hewitt was blocked off trying to get down the right on six minutes, winning a free kick.
Boateng curled the kick to the near post where Maris got a flicked header that clipped the crossbar near the far angle.
On 10 minutes Kone pulled a cross back from the right by-line but Harvie was well over with his finish from the edge of the box.
Kone fired even higher over the top from a loose ball on 14 minutes and Flinders punched away Wycombe's first corner by Scowen on 17 minutes.
Flinders then had to make his first real save on 19 minutes as he got down to deny Lubala, who tried to bury a low shot from a tight angle on the right.
Onyedinma was inches away from a vital touch home at the far post from a Humphreys cross while Kone was wide from 30 yards as the visitors continued to threaten.
On 26 minutes Cargill produced a superb last ditch tackle after a great cutting pass down the middle by Humphreys had sent Scowen on his way.
Cargill was booked on 31 minutes for his tackle on Lubala, Leahy well over from the resulting free kick.
But Mansfield came close against the run of play on 32 minuted as Boateng won the ball and left it for Gregory, who saw his shot deflect narrowly wide.
Cargill's header from the corner deflected for a second flag kick and, breaking away, Lubala sent a first time shot wide at the other end.
Wycombe then struggled to clear a Hewitt long throw and a Bowery cross, an Evans header pushed away with the keeper, as the home side warmed to their task.
Stags survived a dangerous Leahy corner on 44 minutes.
Soon after Reed and Flinders collided trying to stop a cross, Reed up after treatment.
But with no spare keeper on the bench it was a worrying moment for the home side as the sides went in locked at 0-0.
A low Harvie cross flashed across the face of the home goal on the restart with Humphreys close to turning it home.
But the deadlock was broken on 57 minutes.
Bowery was adjudged to have tripped Lubala in the box and the referee pointed to the spot.
Kone then saw Flinders guess correctly and save Kone's spot kick, but the Wycombe man reacted quickest to bury the follow-up on the loose ball.
Mansfield immediately sent on Craig and McLaughlin for Reed and Boateng.
Wanderers then swapped Onyedinma for McCleary, the former booked for his slow walk off.
Akins took over from Gregory up front on 67 minutes.
And two minutes later he levelled the match.
McLaughlin curled a teasing cross in from the left and Akins was there to head up and over Ravizzoli into the top right corner.
Lubala put a far post header over from a McCleary cross as Wanderers looked for a quick response.
But Stags were clearly lifted by the equaliser and Craig had an 18-yard shot deflect just wide with the home fans doing their best to spur them on.
And Mansfield almost went ahead on 80 minutes as Evans got a head onto a Bowery cross and Ravizzoli pulled off a great save.
Evans should have scored on 86 minutes when McLaughlin fizzed a low cross in front of goal and Evans sent his first time finish wide with the keeper at his mercy.
And he was made to pay a minute later as Craig have the ball away to Humphreys and he crossed to McCleary, who wriggled past two defenders before bundling home from 10 yards.
Eight minutes were added at the end and with the very last touch of those Akins forced Ravizzoli to save his header as Wycombe held on for tall three points.
STAGS: Flinders, Hewitt, Oshilaja, Cargill, Bowery, Reed (Craig 58), Boateng (McLaughlin 58), Lewis, Maris (Flint 89), Gregory (Akins 66), Evans (S. Quinn 89). SUBS NOT USED:, Kilgour, Waine.
WYCOMBE: Ravizzoli, Harvie, Bradley, Skura, Grimmer (Kodua 68), Leahy, Scowen, Humphreys (Hagelskjaer 90+1), Lubala (Odoh 90+1), Odyedinma (McCleary 62), Kone. SUBS NOT USED: Bishop, Butcher, Bakinson.
REFEREE: Sam Purkiss.
ATTENDANCE: 7,459 (574 away).