Last-gasp Mansfield Town fight back to take three points at Crewe Alexandra

Courtney Baker-Richardson had seemingly inflicted the latest chapter in the Stags’ woeful story on the road.

But substitute Will Swan levelled in the 87th minute before Oli Hawkins’ dramatic stoppage-time winner made it four league outings without defeat.

Nigel Clough, expectedly, reverted back to type after making wholesale changes for Tuesday night’s EFL Trophy clash at Grimsby.

From the side which beat Gillingham last weekend, Stephen Quinn replaced Anthony Hartigan — who was forced off through injury at Blundell Park in midweek.

The Stags started brightly and came closest to an opener in the early exchanges as Oli Hawkins forced Arthur Okonkwo into a good save after he latched onto George Maris’ free kick.

German striker Bassala Sambou nodded over the bar with the hosts’ first real chance of the contest.

Stephen McLaughlin tried to send the Stags into the break ahead as his free kick flew over the bar.

And moments later the Irishman fired wide of the mark as Clough’s charges ended the half the stronger.

The Stags were unfortunate not to be ahead just after the restart as Stephen Quinn’s teasing cut back was agonisingly just ahead of on-rushing skipper Ollie Clarke.

Clarke saw another chance go begging as he headed McLaughlin’s pin-point cross over the bar in the 50th minute as Town continued to threaten.

The Mansfield captain was frustrated by the Railwaymen’s stopper as Okonkwo produced a fine save to keep out his well-struck effort after knocking the ball down for himself just after the hour.

Those missed opportunities nearly came back to haunt the visitors as Dan Agyei rattled the post after being superbly slipped in.

But Baker-Richardson made no mistake as he bagged his sixth goal in eight appearance with a cool finish after Agyei found the in-form striker.

Clough quickly made changes in a desperate bid to get something out of the game with forwards Will Swan and Jordan Bowery ushered into the action.

The former almost made an immediate impact, but his shot was well held by Okonkwo with 15 minutes to go.

But he found the back of the net with three minutes to go to steal a share of the spoils as Jason Law’s first contribution after coming on was to provide a superb ball for for Swan to finish.

And there was more drama left in the tale as Hawkins emphatically headed home in the third minute of stoppage time.

Crewe: Okonkwo, Mellor, Offord, McDonald, Uwakwe, Leshabela, Thomas, Agyei, Ainley (Adebisi, 63), Sambou, Baker-Richardson.

Unused subs: Richards, Griffiths, Brook, Sass-Davies, Finney, Tabiner.

Mansfield: Pym, Hewitt, Hawkins, Harbottle, Gordon, O Clarke (Swan, 72), Maris (Law, 86), Quinn (Wallace, 67), McLaughlin, Lapslie, Akins (Bowery, 72).

Unused subs: Flinders, Perch, O’Toole.

Referee: Martin Woods

Attendance: 4942 (1299)