Mansfield Town come from behind to beat League Two leaders Cheltenham

Mansfield Town 3 Cheltenham Town 1
Bowery, Reid and Law celebrate number three. Picture: Andrew Roe/AHPIX LTDBowery, Reid and Law celebrate number three. Picture: Andrew Roe/AHPIX LTD
Bowery, Reid and Law celebrate number three. Picture: Andrew Roe/AHPIX LTD

Mansfield Town wrapped up a Jekyll and Hyde week with three much-needed points.

Defeat at struggling Barrow became a distant memory after Nigel Clough's side came from behind to topple League Two leaders Cheltenham Town at One Call Stadium.

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Jordan Bowery bagged a brace and Jamie Reid was also on the scoresheet as the Stags cancelled out Sam Smith's opener in scintillating style.

As the full time whistle blew Mansfield climbed three places up to 16th, Cheltenham holding on to top spot after Forest Green Rovers conceded a late equaliser to Morecambe.

Clough made three changes to the side which was beaten at Barrow at the weekend, Marek Stech returning between the sticks for the injured Aidan Stone and James Perch in for the suspended Ryan Sweeney the enforced switches.

The final change saw Stephen McLaughlin brought in for Harry Charsley while George Lapslie was named on the bench after returning from injury, the midfielder introduced in the closing stages for a welcome return.

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The Robins piled on the pressure in the opening minutes as Ben Tozer launched a series of long throws into the Stags' box, but it was the hosts who worked the keeper first.

Mal Benning's low long ranger had pace but Josh Griffiths got enough of a hand to the ball to guide it away from danger.

Reid couldn't find the target after being slipped in by Jason Law, and wasn't given the opportunity to show better accuracy as he attempted to round Griffiths, the striker wiped out by a clumsy challenge on the edge of the Cheltenham box.

The keeper was shown a yellow card before Law thumped the dead ball into the wall.

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Mansfield cranked up the pressure with Griffiths denying Reid from close range with a body block before Ollie Clarke's close-range volley was deflected wide.

Charlie Raglan flicked another long Tozer throw onto the roof of the Stags' net before normal service was resumed.

In their best chance of the first half, Bowery came within a whisker of opening the scoring, forcing Clarke's low cross onto the upright before Farrend Rawson's follow-up was blocked.

Against the run of play the Robins had the ball in the net only for Alfie May - who had already seen a 40-yard effort fly well wide - to be flagged offside after his touch prodded the ball beyond Stech.

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But for all their dominance in the first half, the Stags fell behind six minutes after the re-start.

Smith forced his header home from close range following Chris Hussey's inviting cross from the left.

But that lead lasted just five minutes as Bowery firing beyond Griffiths after being slipped the ball by Law's clever touch.

The turnaround was completed in the 63rd minute courtesy of Reid's close-range finish.

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Law's corner was returned, the attacker heading to the byline and delivering a low cross which caused havoc in the Robins' penalty area.

Clarke's initial effort was blocked but Reid read the situation fastest and prodded home.

Two minutes later and the Stags were in dreamland as they moved 3-1 ahead.

Bowery skipped two challenges and played a one-two with Reid before giving Griffiths the eye and beating him with a cool finish.

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Reid flashed another effort wide while, at the other end, Stech pushed away May's stinger.

And as the ball flew away, so did Cheltenham’s hopes of a fightback.

STAGS: Stech, Gordon, Rawson, Perch, Benning, Clarke (Lapslie 73), McLaughlin, Quinn (Charsley 88), Law, Reid, Bowery; Subs (not used): Pardington, O'Keeffe, Wright, Ward, Sinclair.

CHELTENHAM: Griffiths, Raglan (Vassilev 76), Tozer, Long, Blair, Hussey, Thomas, Wright (Azaz 60), Sercombe (Lloyd 88), Smith, May; Subs (not used): Flinders, Horton, Freestone, Williams.

REF: Scott Oldham.

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