Mansfield Town have one foot in League One after memorable win at rivals MK Dons

With their big goal difference, the Stags realistically need just one point from their last three games, starting with Tuesday's visit of Accrington Stanley – two points needed to make it mathematically sure - while Dons look set to face a play-off semi-final.

It was sweet revenge for five years ago when Dons denied Stags promotion in their final game at Stadium MK when Milton Keynes went up instead thanks to an early goal.

Today, Max Dean’s 17th goal of the season sent the Dons ahead, before Elliott Hewitt levelled.

Half-time substitute Davis Keillor-Dunn then scored twice to take his season's tally to 21 before James Gale, who also came off the bench, added gloss in stoppage time.

Stags are now five points clear of Dons in third with three games to go.

Boss Nigel Clough shuffled the deck after Tuesday’s 1-0 victory over relegation-threatened Forest Green Rovers.

Hewitt, George Williams, Aaron Lewis, Ollie Clarke and Will Swan were the quintet who replaced Stephen McLaughlin, Stephen Quinn, George Maris, Keillor-Dunn and Tom Nichols in the starting line-up.

However, the Stags found themselves behind to a Dean 13th-minute wonder goal.

The talented 20-year-old netted his fifth goal in four games as he drove at the defence, chopped past his man and curled a fine strike into the far corner after Jordan Bowery had given the ball away just inside his own half.

But the visitors were undeterred in their mission and equalised on the half-hour mark.

From Swan's pass, Hiram Boateng did the hard work to beat his man on the byline and set up Hewitt to easily tap home to level at the near post

And they were almost ahead before the break as Ollie Clarke left the crossbar rattling, Boateng wide with the follow-up.

Stags also had a big shout for a penalty for a foul on Swan which was ignored by the referee.

Clough made a half-time switch as influential Keillor-Dunn replaced Swan.

And the Scottish playmaker made an instant impact as he poked home from point-blank range amid a scramble in the hosts’ box which saw Boateng denied and then Keillor-Dunn twice blocked before he netted at the third time of asking, all stemming from a Lewis throw, helped on by Lucas Akins.

Mansfield had to reshuffle their ranks after Hewitt had to go off injured, Bowery moving into central defence and Akins to right back on the hour.

Stags’ stopper Christy Pym did well to keep out Dean’s effort with 20 minutes to go as Mansfield largely kept Dons at arm's length defensively.

Louis Reed had a couple of chances to make it three but failed to convert while keeper Kelly had to get down bravely at Boateng's feet as Stags looked for a killer third.

And it finally came on 89 minutes as Gale slipped Keillor-Dunn through on goal to double his tally in the 89th minute.

The roles were reversed in the second of eight added minutes as Keillor-Dunn found Gale to his right and the sub smashed in a superb finish into the top corner to seal Stags' result of the season and spark memorable celebrations among the huge away following of over 3,600 Stags fans behind that goal.

DONS: Kelly, O’Hora, Tucker, Lewington (Harrison, 70), Wearne, Bate, Payne (Kemp, 79), Harvie, Lofthouse, Gilbey, Dean. SUBS NOT USED: Marschall, Williams, Tezgel, Norman, Robson.

STAGS: Pym, Hewitt (Maris, 59), Flint, Bowery, Williams (McLaughlin, 73), Clarke (Nichols, 59), Reed, Lewis, Boateng (Gale, 86), Akins, Swan (Keillor-Dunn, 45). SUBS NOT USED: Flinders, Quinn.

REFEREE: Ben Speedie.