Major blow for Mansfield Town promotion dream as champions Leyton Orient hit back to win at the One Call

That ended any outside hopes of automatic promotion and left still them outside the play-off places on goal difference but with no game in hand any more and only two to play.

The impressive visitors were superb on the front foot in the first half and then defended well after the break after having Shadrach Ogie sent off on 62 minutes.

Stags made a great start with a Davis Keillor-Dunn goal after just 10 minutes.

But the classy visitors hit back seven minutes later and deservedly led at half-time, playing some silky football.

Gutsy Stags went toe to toe with them throughout but were found just wanting and incredibly suffered yet another major injury blow when Elliott Hewitt limped off after only 28 minutes.

Orient soaked up the home pressure well after the break, even after the red card, and held onto what they had in a half low on chances for either side.

Still with a lengthy injury list, Stags boss Nigel Clough made one change with Rhys Oates forced into a start, despite lack of full fitness, up front following James Gale's concussion at the weekend.

Ollie Clarke, also still not fully fit after injury, was added to the Mansfield bench.

Four days after clinching the title, the visitors made five changes and that became six when keeper Laurence Vigouroux, named in the League Two Team of the Year hurt himself in the warm-up and had to be replaced by Sam Sargeant – his first EFL start for the club this season.

Orient were given a guard of honour as they came out by the home side to mark their title win and the O's 'anthem' Wagon Wheel was played over the PA too.

Bristling with confidence and swagger, Orient went straight onto the attack and Pym chose to punch clear a Smyth cross instead of catching it.

But it was Stags who carved out the first shot as Quinn crossed into Akins, who controlled and set up Keillor-Dunn for a shot that was blocked.

And on 10 minutes Stags were in front. Boateng wriggled his way to the right by-line and, unchallenged, drove into the box before finding Keillor-Dunn with a square pass and he made no mistake finding the net from five yards out.

But the lead lasted seven minutes.

Oates headed out a left wing cross as far as Clay 20 yards out who smashed a volley against the post and the ball spun up for Kelman to nod it into the gaping goal from close range.

Two minutes later Sadlier was only just over from 25 yards as he turned neatly and sent a dipping effort goalwards.

Mansfield almost retook the lead on 21 minutes as a far post cross from Boateng picked out Oates whose header beat Sargeant but was cleared off the line by Ogie.

Wallace was booked for a foul, also in the 21st minute.

Then Kilgour produced a fantastic tackle in the box to halt Kelman, which drew he applause from the home stands.

A foul by Hewitt saw the Stags man stay down and need treatment.

He eventually temporarily returned to the fray only to go down a second time and this time was replaced by Harbottle on 28 minutes.

Harbottle went to right back with Johnson switching to left back.

Orient then hit the front on 31 minutes with a goal by Sotiriou.

With Stags looking for an offside flag Sadlier raced onto space on the left and pulled back the perfect ball for Sotiriou to bury low from 12 yards. The crowd were furious but replays showed he was onside.

On 40 minutes Sargeant got a hand to a powerful Keillor-Dunn shot from the left after Akins had superbly switched play.

Johnson stayed down after a bang to the face and, after treatment and having blood cleaned away from his nose, was able to carry on.

The injuries saw seven added first half minutes in which Thompson was booked for pulling back Keillor-Dunn, but the visitors went in with their noses in front.

Stags sent on Reed for Wallace for the second half.

Within two minutes Oates had taken a bang to the head and was left flat out needing treatment but was deemed fit to continue.

Clay's foul on Quinn on 50 minutes saw him added to the book as Stags pressed hard early in the half.

A nudge from Harbottle in the box then saw Sweeney go over, but no penalty was given.

Kilgour had to bring Sadlier down as he tried to get away from him on 54 minutes and took the booking, Sadlier curling wide from the free kick.

Johnson moved back to right back and Perch to left back with Harbottle at centre half as Stags sought a way back.

The visitors were down to 10 men on 62 minutes as Ogie, as last man, was red-carded for bringing down Keillor-Dunn just outside the box as he raced clear onto a superb Boateng pass. But Boateng's free kick then hit the wall and was hacked clear.

Drinan was just wide with a low shot for the O's on 72 minutes in a half low on chances.

The Oates' first touch let him down at the near post after Johnson had threaded a great pass through for him.

A long Maris cross was nodded down by Perch and Akins was able to turn and shoot low but straight to the keeper and soon after he headed over from a Keillor-Dunn corner as the O's stood firm.

Clough continued to make changes and used his last two subs with 10 minutes to go.

Sargeant was booked on 82 minutes for time wasting and Kelman pushed the officials' patience to the limit when he ambled off slowly after being subbed as Orient hung on.

A minute from time Keillor-Dunn found Johnson at the far post with his corner but his header dropped the wrong side of the upright.

Seconds later Oates had a shot blocked and Brown made a crucial block to deny Clarke's follow-up.

Again seven minutes were added but there was no way through.

STAGS: Pym, C. Johnson, Kilgour, Perch, Hewitt (Harbottle 28), Wallace (Reed HT), Boateng (Clarke 80), Quinn (Maris 71), Keillor-Dunn, Akins (Swan 80), Oates. SUBS NOT USED: Flinders, Law.

ORIENT: Sargeant, Ogie, Thompson, Smyth (James 66), Clay, Sotiriou (Moncur 69), Brown, Kelman (Duke-McKenna 85), Sweeney, McCart, Sadlier (Drinan 69). SUBS NOT USED: Happe, Pratley.

REFEREE: Robert Lewis.

ATTENDANCE: 7,072 (527 away).