Early goal sinks Mansfield Town, despite batling display away at old rivals Wrexham

It was third versus fifth with the Welsh club unbeaten at home since 16th March, though without a win in three games in all competitions.

Despite a promising start, Stags fell behind after only six minutes to a Ryan Barnett goal – the only one of the game.

They went on to dominate the rest of the half without seriously testing the keeper though had their moments.

However, after the break Lee Gregory smashed a great chance against the bar while Will Evans, Ben Waine and Elliott Hewitt all went close.

Paul Mullin and Ollie Palmer also went close for the home side, but the one goal proved enough in the end.

A big worry for Stags was a first half injury to keeper Christy Pym and, with six substitutions made by the visitors, it suggested one of the Mansfield side was also suffering from concussion.

So Stags will be happy to now have two weeks off with next weekend's international break.

The Mansfield side showed four changes from last weekend's FA Cup victory at Curzon Ashton.

Out went Lucas Akins, George Maris, Stephen Quinn and Alfie Kilgour.

Into the side came Keanu Baccus, Baily Cargill and Aaron Lewis while top scorer Gregory returned up front.

A loose pass by Dobson gifted Evans a shot at goal after only two minutes but he fired it straight at Okonkwo.

Three minutes later there was more danger for the home side as Gregory tried to burst clear, but he slightly over-ran it and a shove from Scarr saw him go to the ground but he was never going to be awarded a penalty.

Instead it was the home side who drew first blood on six minutes.

Barnett picked up a loose ball just outside the box, beat two men as he made space and drilled home a superb, low 18-yard finish.

On 15 minutes Gregory headed the ball on in the box and Evans beat the keeper to it but saw his poked finish deflect wide off a defender, and the referee award a goalkick to compound his frustration.

Six minutes later Gregory held off a defender with good body strength before seeing his effort from distance deflect over for a corner.

But the visitors were dealt a huge blow as the game was halted for treatment to Pym, who looked in some discomfort with his shoulder.

It was decided he couldn't continue and Flinders was sent on to replace him with 31 minutes on the clock.

On 33 minutes Evans tried to bustle his way through the centtr of the box and held off O'Connor's challenge only to see Okonkwo make himself big and close him down before he could poke past him.

Under more away pressure, Wrexham broke with a long ball on 44 minutes that saw Mullin curl a finish wide of the left post.

A minute later Baccus was booked after Mullin had been brought down, Palmer joining him in the second of four added minutes after he brought down Baccus.

When the free kick was half-cleared, Baccus dipped a shot just over as the half ended with Wrexham still ahead by the slightest of margins.

Stags won a free kick on the restart and Lewis floated it goalwards with a backheader from Cargill passing wide.

Wrexham immediately went up the other end and Lee played a one-two before scooping a finish wide.

McLean also curled one wide from the outside of his boot after Mulin had failed to connect with an overhead kick from a right wing cross.

When Reed was dispossessed on 54 minutes Cannon advanced before firing wide.

Baccus was replaced by Boateng on 57 minutes as Stags looked to resume some dominance of the ball.

But another home break ensued with Lee's rising finish passing just over.

Stags then twice came desperately close to levelling in as many minutes.

On 64 minutes a clever reverse ball across the box by Hewitt picked out Gregory in space only to see his powerful finish rattle the crossbar.

Soon after Evans drilled a low shot from 18 yards that forced Okonkwo to get down to his right to save and Lewis was muscled out of the follow-up.

Stags' final throw of the subs dice saw Quinn and Akins on for Blake-Tracy and Lewis at the game's three-quarter mark.

Palmer headed Wrexham's next chance well wide.

But on 72 minutes they might have doubled their advantage as another break from away pressure saw Lee thread a great ball into the path of Mullin, who fired a low finish across Flinders and the left post.

With 10 minutes left Hewitt might have levelled matters but he blazed over first time from Boateng's ball across the box.

Three minutes later Flinders saved well from a close range Palmer header and then saw the ex-Stags man blaze his follow-up over the top.

With three minutes left Quinn volleyed over from a tight angle at the far post from a Boateng cross.

Stags sub Waine should have made it 1-1 on 88 minutes as he was picked out by an Evans cross three minutes after joining the action, but somehow headed wide from seven yards.

On 90 minutes Scarr was booked for delaying the restart as five minutes were added, in which Cargill was also cautioned for hacking down Rathbone.

But Wrexham managed the remaining time expertly to edge home against the frustrated visitors, who lost for the first time in five games.

STAGS: Pym (Flinders 31), Hewitt (Waine 85), Oshilaja, Flint, Cargill, Blake-Tracy (Akins 68), Reed (Bowery 85), Baccus (Boateng 57), Lewis (S. Quinn 68), Gregory, Evans. SUBS NOT USED: Kilgour.

WREXHAM: Okonkwo, Cleeworth, Scarr, O'Connor, Barnett, Dobson, Cannon (Rathbone 68), Lee (Mendy 81), McLean, Mullin (Bodvarsson 74), Palmer. SUBS NOT USED: Burton, O'Connell, Bolton, Faal.

REFEREE: Simon Mather.