Jordan Bowery volley sees Mansfield Town sink Morecambe... and end five-game winless run

Jordan Bowery's first-half volley ended Mansfield Town's five-game winless run - and secured three big points for the Stags.

The striker's quick thinking saw him gain a yard to force home Stephen Quinn's cross to sink play-off chasing Morecambe at One Call Stadium.

Kellan Gordon, Mal Benning and Stephen Quinn came into the starting XI for James Perch, Harry Charsley and the injured Stephen McLaughlin as Nigel Clough looked to end his side's three-game losing streak.

And in the first half it was the hosts - not the side fifth in the League Two table - who were comfortably on top.

With less than three minutes on the clock Bowery's curling effort on the edge of the Morecambe penalty area was parried by visiting keeper Kyle Letheren.

The rebound bounced up into the path of Jamie Reid. Had the Stags striker been an inch or three taller his header may have found the back of the net but, at full stretch, Reid saw his effort clear the bar.

Benning was the next to try his luck, a deflected low free kick wrong-footing the keeper but not enough to stop Letheren smothering the ball.

Reid headed over and Gordon saw an effort deflected wide before pressure paid off, Bowery handing the Stags a 41st-minute lead.

After Morecambe failed to clear a corner Reid fed the ball out to Quinn on the wing. Skipping past John O'Sullivan's lazy challenge he whipped in a cross,

Bowery gambling at the front post to volley his side in front.

Looking to add the the advantage Quinn lashed an effort over after being teed up by Jason Law.

The second couldn't match the opening 45 for chances.

George Maris' hopeful 25-yarder posed little threat for Letheren while the Shrimps - arriving in town on the back of two-straight victories - offered nothing in attack.

As poor as the visitors were, the Stags backline did their job, snuffing out any forays forward at the first attempt.

Morecambe almost carved out a clear-cut chance in stoppage time but a lofted ball to release A-Jay Leitch-Smith saw the substitute fail to connect.

That was as good as it got and the hosts claimed a deserved clean sheet.

STAGS: Stone, Gordon, Rawson, Sweeney, Benning, Maris, O. Clarke (C), Quinn, Law (Charsley 90), Reid, Bowery; Subs (not used): Stech, O'Keeffe, Perch, J. Clarke, Wright, Sinclair.

MORECAMBE: Letheren, Mellor, Lavelle, Davis, Diagouraga (Lyons 65), Stockton, Wildig, Mendes Gomes, O'Sullivan (McAlinden 80), Gibson (Hendrie 53), Songo'o (Leitch-Smith 80); Subs (not used): Halstead, Slew, Cooney.

REF: Anthony Backhouse.