Mansfield Town dig deep to carve out superb home win over Bolton Wanderers

It was sweet revenge for the recent 3-1 defeat at Bolton with the visitors looking far sharper and classier than they did that day.

Stags raced into a 2-0 lead through Stephen McLaughlin on 20 minutes and Lee Gregory 16 minutes later in an exciting, even first half.

But Aaron Collins pulled one back just before the break and Bolton then turned up the heat to dominate the second half, but Stags defended magnificently to start the New Year on a winning note.

Nigel Clough freshened up his side with six changes to the one pipped 2-1 at Reading.

Alfie Kilgour, Stephen McLaughlin, Hiram Boateng, Stephen Quinn, Rhys Oates and Lee Gregory came in for Elliott Hewitt, Frazer Blake-Tracy, Keanu Baccus, Aaron Lewis, Lucas Akins and Will Evans.

Oates and Gregory were making their first starts since returning from knee injuries.

For Bolton Dion Charles – who scored in a home win over the Stags last month – returned in attack as one off three changes.

Luke Southwood earned an opportunity in goal, with Gethin Jones returning in front of him in the Whites’ defence.

Oates almost sent Quinn in on goal in the opening minute, but Quinn slipped and ended up fouling a defender.

A minute later Bolton broke well down the left and Collins zipped a low cross right across the face of goal.

Oshilaja gave away a free kick in a dangerous central position 18 yards out only to see Lolos lift it well over.

Oates then saw his shot on the turn at the other deflect into the arms of Southwood.

The visitors were bossing much of the early play and Dacres-Cogley headed goalwards on 10 minutes at the far post but it was comfortably cleared by Cargill.

Dacres-Cogley was then booked on 14 minutes for hauling down McLaughlin as he tried to burst down the centre after a fine pass by Kilgour.

From the free kick 22 yards out Reed forced the keeper to beat the ball away, diving to his right.

On 17 minutes Kilgour went on a good run and, urged on by the crowd, shot over the bar from 25 yards.

Mansfield had grown into the game and forced three corners, the third of which saw Boateng have a shot blocked.

But Stags were ahead on 20 minutes.

Bolton tried to head away a Bowery cross from the right but the ball fell nicely for McLaughlin 15 yards out and the ball took a slight deflection as it flew past a helpless Southwood into the net.

Bolton almost replied two minutes later as a cutting pass by Lolos gave Collins a sight of goal from an angle on the left only to see Pym safely turn his finish round the post.

Oates was too high with a first time effort as the ball dropped towards him from a free kick as heavy rain swept across the stadium.

On 27 minutes Kilgour dipped a long, high ball into the box where Gregory whipped a first time finish over.

There was a scare at the other end on the half-hour mark as Bowery lost the ball on the right of the box and Thomason rifled a low shot that deflected narrowly wide of the far post.

Instead it was 2-0 to the Stags on 36 minutes.

Boateng hooked the ball into the box where Gregory wrestled with the burly Santos and somehow managed to superbly lift the ball over the keeper.

Oates then saw Southwood safely stop a long range punt.

But Wanderers pulled one back on 40 minutes.

Thomason raced down the left and crossed hard and low for Collins to turn the ball home first time from 10 yards.

Evans replaced Oates in the home attack for the second half.

A Stags corner on 50 minutes saw Santos almost head into his own goal but the ball deflected just wide off a Mansfield leg.

Gregory and Schon were both booked after squaring up on the touchline.

On 55 minutes it looked like Evans had been tripped in the box but the referee said no penalty,

Two minutes later Schon shot goalwards and Charles helped it into Pym's arms from four yards when he should have buried it – a real let-off for Mansfield.

Cargill was added the book for a trip on 59 minutes before Matete shot well over from range as the visitors pressed hard for an equaliser.

Lewis and Blake-Tracy came on for Quinn and Gregory with 28 minutes to go and the home side under the cosh, Evans left as a lone striker.

The Trotters continued to turn the screw and pin Stags back in their own box.

Santos' name went into the book for tripping Evans as Stags tried to get out their half.

McLaughlin got a good cross over on 73 minutes but Evans did not get enough on his glancing header as it sailed wide.

Williams pushed over Blake-Tracy in full flight on 74 minutes to see a yellow card.

Osei-Tutu sent a dangerous ball right across the home goalmouth from the left by-line on 77 minutes with no white shirts there to turn it home.

A minute later McLaughlin was booked for kicking the ball away.

Williams did well on 83 minutes to cut in from the right and whip a low shot wide of the far post.

Stags then sent on Waine and Flint for Boateng and McLaughlin as they tried to see out the remaining seven minutes.

Mendes-Gomes tried a shot on the turn that defected wide for another corner which Pym safely collected to huge home cheers.

Tempers were fraying and Lewis and Osei-Tutu were both booked for clashing on 89 minutes.

Bowery was wide on the turn as Bolton struggled to clear a free kick before we entered four added minutes in which Mansfield held firmly onto what they had.

STAGS: Pym, Bowery, Kilgour, Oshilaja, Cargill, McLaughlin (Flint 83), Reed, Boateng (Waine 83), S. Quinn (Blake-Tracy 62), Oates (Evans HT), Gregory (Lewis 62). SUBS NOT USED: Flinders, Akins.

BOLTON: Southwood, Dacres-Cogley (Osei-Tutu 59), Jones, Almeida Santos, Johnston, Schön (Williams 59), Matete, Lolos (Mendes Gomes 67), Thomason, Charles (McAtee 67), Collins. SUBS NOT USED: Baxter Forrester, Arfield. REFEREE: Anthony Backhouse. ATTENDANCE: 8,553 (1,510 away).