Mansfield Town mistakes punished by ruthless Reading as Stags suffer a heavy Easter Monday ​​​​​​​home defeats​​​​​​​

Over the 90 minutes Stags had more of the ball and largely played well against a side who have now only lost twice in 17 outings, so the scoreline flattered the visitors.

But the Royals were gifted all four goals by home errors and made the most of them on each occasion.

Louis Reed, George Williams, Keanu Baccus, Christy Pym and Deji Oshilaja will all look back on moments that led to Reading goals.

It was hugely frustrating as Stags continue to look for the comfort of that one win that would make them mathematically safe from the drop with now just three games to go.

Thankfully for Stags, relegation rivals Bristol Rovers and Burton Albion both lost too.

Jordan Bowery, Keanu Baccus and Aaron Lewis replaced Stephen McLaughlin, Matthew Craig and Dom Dwyer in the home starting XI while Reading made two changes with Tivonge Rushesha and Jayden Wareham in for Mamadi Camara and Kelvin Abrefa.

The afternoon began with a minute's applause for the late Joe Eaton, Stags' former long-serving secretary, player and club stalwart, who recently passed away.

The game began in driving rain, that had been falling much of the day.

Bindon's fine tackle stopped Maris going clear in the third minute and the Royals also cleared an early Mansfield corner.

A lovely home sequence of passing then ended with Maris shooting low and wide from distance on eight minutes.

Lewis had a shot blocked and on 10 minutes the Stags midfielder saw a rising 20 yarder go inches over in a very positive start by Mansfield.

Reading were finally into the home penalty area on 16 minutes but Stags dug in and defended a scramble and the ball eventually went for a goal kick.

A cutting pass by Cargill saw Maris muscle away a challenger and dip a 25 yard shot just over the bar on 20 minutes.

Another Royals threat saw Oshilaja fly in with a fine saving tackle on Wareham in the box while Pereira made a good close range far post save to deny a close range header by Kilgour from a Lewis free kick only to see an offside flag raised anyway.

Reed was wide from 20 yards on 29 minutes as Mansfield continued to ask all the questions, though a Campbell cross from the right caused worry as it flew across the face of the home goal.

But the home side were undone on 35 minutes through a mistake.

Reed's loose pass went straight to Ehibhatiomhan on the left, who flicked a pass inside for Wareham to dispatch a pinpoint finish inside the right post from just outside the box.

Kilgour was inches away from heading home a Lewis far post cross, then a Royals break saw Campbell set up Ehibhatiomhan for a rising shot over the bar on 42 minutes.

Wing had a first time shot deflect wide in the four added minutes as Stags went in a goal behind for all their good work.

Hewitt and Cargill were replaced by Williams and Vickers at the break.

But another home error gifted Reading a second within four minutes.

Williams initially saw his poor clearance go to Savage, who forced a good save from Pym with his powerful finish. But, in trying to then hook away the loose ball, Williams could only turn it into his own net.

Almost immediately Lewis had an opening at the other end but screwed his finish wide from a good position.

But on 57 minutes Wing scored the goal of the day as he picked up a loose ball from Baccus and from 25 yards out launched an explosive finish into the top left corner, giving Pym no chance.

The home side finally broke through on 62 minutes. Reed fed Baccus into the box straight down the centre and the Australian international slotted home low inside the right post.

Two minutes later Flint and Boateng were pitched into the action for Cargill and Maris.

Baccus then tried to send Lewis away on 66 minutes but he was pulled back by Garcia, who earned a booking for his troubles.

Lewis took a knock and was replaced by Dwyer for the last 20 minutes.

But a poor kick out by Pym set in motion the Royals' fourth goal on 74 minutes.

Savage fed Wing, who got away a low shot that came back off the right post and Wareham was on hand to tuck the rebound into the empty net from point blank range.

Baccus was booked for a pull on 82 minutes on totting up of several fouls.

Another home attack saw Dwyer have a far post finish blocked.

The final blow came in the last of five added minutes as Oshilaja's backass to Pym was intercepted by Knibbs and he set up Bodin for a tap-in to end an afternoon to quickly forget.

STAGS: Pym, Hewitt (Williams HT), Oshilaja, Kilgour (Vickers HT), Cargill (Flint 64), Bowery, Reed, Baccus, Lewis (Dwyer 70), Maris (Boateng 64), Akins. SUBS NOT USED: Flinders, Rhodes.

READING: Pereira, Knibbs, Savage, Ehibhatiomhan (Bodin 76), Rushesha, Wareham (Carroll 88), Campbell (Akande 88), Bindon, Mbengue Wing, Garcia (Yiadom 76). SUBS NOT USED: Norcott, Camara, Stickland. REFEREE: Ross Joyce.

ATTENDANCE: 8,377 (1,471 away).