Farrend Rawson injury overshadows Mansfield Town defeat at Salford City

Mansfield Town’s hopes of a third win on the spin for the first time since January came to an abrupt halt with defeat at 10-man Salford City.

Farrend Rawson was stretchered off after colliding with substitute stopper Jamie Pardington which led to 11 minutes of time added on.

However, after the final whistle Nigel Clough confirmed the defender was awake.

The Stags slipped to just their second defeat in 10 games after goals from Ash Hunter and Ian Henderson did the damage at the Peninsula Stadium.

Richie Towell was sent off for the hosts, with stopper Aidan Stone limiting the damage with a fine penalty save.

Nigel Clough made two changes from the side which impressed to beat Scunthorpe 3-0 last time out.

Injured captain Ollie Clarke was replaced by Jason Law as Jordan Bowery returned at the expense of Jamie Reid.

The Stags stormed out of the blocks as Vaclav Hladky’s poor clearance fell to Tyrese Sinclair, but the Salford stopper recovered well to make a good save.

And that miss was doubly disappointing as Hunter fired the hosts in front just two minutes later.

Robbie Gotts did brilliantly and he found the 25-year-old to lash beyond Stone.

The Stags’ keeper easily kept out Di’Shon Bernard’s effort as the Ammies upped the ante.

Down the other end, Hladky produced a moment of brilliant to keep out George Lapslie’s point-blank header before Sinclair fired just over the bar in a positive spell for Clough’s charges.

After the break Lapslie’s volley barely troubled Hladky.

But the hosts’ lead was doubled just after the hour mark.

And it was a super strike as he hit a volley on the turn from the edge of the box into the bottom corner.

The visitors were given a glimmer of hope when Towell was sent off after reacting badly to a challenge from Kellan Gordon.

But Stone felled Hunter in the box before making amends to keep out Henderson’s spot kick.

Rawson was stretchered off after colliding with Pardington as the visitors played out the remainder of stoppage time with 10.

Salford: Hladky, Bernard, Eastham, Turnbull, Touray, Lowe, Threlkeld (Coutts, 90+4), Gotts, Towell, Hunter (Boyd, 79), Henderson (Thomas-Asante, 80); Subs (not used): Evans, Clarke, Burgess, Coutts, Dieseruvwe.

Mansfield: Stone. (Pardington, 75), Perch, Rawson, Sweeney, McLaughlin, Maris (Gordon, 67), Lapslie (Reid, 66), Quinn (Ward, 80), Law (Charsley, 75), Bowery, Sinclair; Suns (not used): Clarke, Charles.

Referee: James Oldham.