Mansfield Town hit back from behind to end home games on a high and finish Gillingham play-off hopes

Stags were below-par in the first half but deserved their victory in the end to send a huge home crowd home happy.

Nigel Clough made two changes from the side that beat Accrington to gain promotion on Tuesday with Stephen Quinn and Davis Keillor-Dunn replaced by Aaron Lewis and James Gale.

Hewitt, who is just back from a lengthy spell out injured, was initially named on the bench, but with Stags being ultra-cautious with his knee, he was replaced by teenager Finn Flanagan on the team sheet.

After the incredible night on Tuesday, today's first half was very flat with Stags having plenty of possession but lacking penetration and trailing to a Timothee Dieng goal from the tightest of angles on 19 minutes.

But Stags were much improved after the break and turned the game on its head with two goals in three minutes through superb finishes by Davis Keillor-Dunn and Stephen McLaughlin on 77 and 80 minutes as they ended their home campaign with a flourish.

A loose ball from Pym, intercepted by Jefferies, caused an early issue for Stags and within the first minute Dieng had guided a header just over at the far post from Hutton's cross.

Pym then punched clear the visitors' first corner.

But the Gill grabbed a 19th minute lead after some poor defending by the home side.

From Williams' pass, Dieng was able to get to the left by-line and, just when it looked like he would try to pull the ball back to a team mate, he somehoe managed to squeeze the ball past Pym from an almost impossible angle.

A poor pass by Hutton almost gifted a chance to Nichols. But the ball flew at him and his first touch saw it bounce away to safety.

On 24 minutes Gale was unlucky as his powerful low cross deflected wide for a first home corner while Nichols could not quite win the race for a Boateng through ball.

Boateng was then booked on 29 minutes for hacking down Williams in the centre circle.

Stags were dominating possession without troubling Turner in the Gillingham goal.

But they almost found a way through on 38 minutes as McLaughlin drilled in a low cross from the left and Nichols was just wide with an overhead effort as the ball bounced invitingly in the six yard box.

Reed then had a shot blocked after good approach work by Lewis while Jeffries was too high from 25 yards at the other end just before the break.

Two minutes into the second half Gale made good progress down the left and crossed low.

Nichols helped the ball to Maris but, from six yards, he seemed to slip as he shot and the tame effort was easy for Turner.

On 50 minutes another good run by Gale saw him pick out the run of Lewis to his right and the midfielder got away a good shot on target but at a decent height for Turner to save.

Clough made a triple change on 55 minutes and immediately Stags forced a scramble from which one of the newcomers, Keillor-Dunn was just wide of the far post.

The visitors hit back with two successive corners without profit.

Jefferies was booked for pulling back Keillor-Dunn as Stags tried to break on 64 minutes.

On 66 minutes Flint's diagonal ball found Quinn and his low ball to the near post saw Masterson block Nichols' attempted finish.

Then Keillor-Dunn sent a tame low effort straight to Turner.

On 74 minutes a low cross to the near post by Quinn saw Keillor-Dunn force a much better reaction save out of the keeper.

And on 77 minutes Keillor-Dunn finally levelled matters as Nicols helped a long ball into his path and Stags' top scorer smashed an unstoppable half volley past Turner from just inside the box.

Straight after Pym had to tip over a Hawkins header from a long throw.

But Mansfield roared ahead on 80 minutes out of nowhere.

McLaughlin picked up possession to the left of the box and form 25 yards crashed a superb 25-yard finish across Turner and into the top right corner.

Ehmer was added to the book for an 86th minute foul before Turner denied Quinn a third with his knees near the end as Stags broke forwards.

STAGS: Pym, Akins, Flint, Bowery, McLaughlin (Cooper 90+2), Reed, Maris (Keillor-Dunn 55), Lewis (Clarke 55), Boateng (Quinn 55), Nichols, Gale (Macdonald 85). SUBS NOT USED: Flinders, Flanagan.

GILLS: Turner, Clark (Malone 75), Masterson, Ehmer, Williams (McKenzie 58), Andrews (Hawkins 75), Jefferies (Ogie 70), Coleman, Mahoney (Walker 70), Hutton, Dieng. SUBS NOT USED: Morris, Clarke.REFEREE: Sam Purkiss.ATTENDANCE: 8,150 (519 away).