Mansfield Town 2 v 3 Colchester United: Stags suffer home loss to play-off chasing U’s

Nicky Maynard wiped out Brandon Comley’s spectacular early long range finish just before the break.

But, despite long spells of home possession, United looked solid and always capable of causing damage on the break with their powerful forwards.

Mansfield had already had one escape when the impressive Conrad Logan superbly saved Frank Nouble’s penalty just after the break.

But when Courtney Senior and Luke Gabin both netted within nine minutes of each other late in the game there was no way back for John Dempster’s men, who grabbed a late consolation through sub Omari Sterling-James.

On this showing Colchester could be a real force this season and have now only lost three times in 19 games and reached the Carabao Cup quarter-final.

Stags tried to play football and retained possession well, but they struggled to pierce a well-drilled United and always looked vulnerable to the counter.

The Mansfield side showed one change with skipper Krystian Pearce ruled out with a groin strain and Matt Preston in as a straight replacement in the centre of defence.

Midfielder Jacob Mellis made a return from injury to the bench.

Visitors Colchester had top scorer Luke Norris ruled out with an injury picked up in their midweek Carabao Cup win over Crawley.

Mansfield started well and almost took a fourth minute lead as Cook’s close range header from Gordon’s hoisted cross was blocked one-handed by an alert Gerken in the United goal.

Logan then had to smother a dangerous, deflected low cross from Bramall.

There was more danger as Khan lost the ball and Poku saw his deflected shot pass just over the angle.

But United were ahead from the corner. It was cleared out to Comley 30 yards from goal and he blazed a top drawer finish into the top right hand corner, giving Logan no chance.

Another rapid Colchester break on 11 minutes saw Shaughnessy stretch out to block Stevenson’s finish.

Mansfield continued to dominate possession but the visitors looked lethal on breakaways and were defending well, Benning sending a good effort wide from the outside of his boot from 20 yards in the only real goal effort of that spell.

On 26 minutes Jackson pulled a cross back from the right which saw Stevenson volley straight to Logan from 18 yards.

United came close again from another break on 31 minutes as Harriott got down the left and zipped a low shot at goal from an angle which Logan got just enough on to turn for a corner.

Then Senior fired another shot straight to Logan after a near move from the right while Bramall sent a 25-yard free kick into the home wall as Mansfield struggled for a foothold into the game.

On 43 minutes Shaughnessy’s fine pass down the centre reached Maynard who saw his 20 yard blast parried by Gerken.

But Stags were finally level on 45 minutes. Benning’s right wing corner swung through everyone to give Sweeney a close range tap-in at the far post to go in all square at the break after a tough half.

Mansfield had a huge let-off on the restart. Benning’s trip on Poku in the box was a penalty all the way, but Logan pulled off a tremendous save to deny Nouble from the spot as he threw himself full length to his left to push it away.

Senior was only just over from distance soon after.

Cook was unhappy with a shove on him in the box by Prosser as a free kick bounced out for a goal kick, but nothing was given.

A great run by Senior down the right ended with Harriott lifting a finish onto the roof of the home net, then a poor clearance at the other end saw Maynard hurry a shot well off target.

On 64 minutes Stags looked set to go ahead as Maynard’s cross reached Cook at the far post, but Jackson managed a superb block after initially failing to clear.

United broke upfield and Harriott’s fierce shot was tipped onto the post and out by Logan.

Logan was also down to grab a low, deflected Senior shot as the U’s came forward again with purpose.

But a moment of magic from Senior restored Colchester’s lead with 15 minutes to go.

He picked up a pass just outside the box but then came alive and beat two opponents before smashing home an unstoppable finish.

Desperate Mansfield made a double change, sending on Mellis and Hamilton for Bishop and Khan on 78 minutes.

With 10 minutes left Bramall saw the game’s first yellow card for a trip on Gordon.

Hamilton’s low cross on 82 minutes saw Maynard’s stabbed effort blocked, then Gerken was down to save a low Benning effort as Stags tried to turn the screw.

Gambin came on as a sub with five minutes left and within two minutes had wrapped up the points as Stags failed to clear Bramall’s low cross, and after a couple of blocks Gambin steered the loose ball into the gaping goal.

But in the last minute Stags’ subs combined as Hamilton pulled a low cross back that Sterling-James calmly turned home, but it was too little too late for the home side.

STAGS: Logan; Gordon, Preston, Sweeney, Benning; MacDonald (Sterling-James 85), Bishop (Mellis 78), Shaughnessy, Khan (Hamilton 78); Cook, Maynard. Subs not used: Olejnik, Tomlinson, Knowles, Smith.

COLCHESTER: Gerken, Jackson, Bramall, Prosser, Senior, Comley, Harriott (Gambin 85), Eastman, Stevenson (Pell 89), Nouble, Poku (Lapslie 82). Subs not used: Ross, Sowunmi, Brown, Clampin.

REFEREE: Seb Stocksbridge of Tyne.

ATTENDANCE: 4,125 (212 away).

CHAD STAGS MAN OF THE MATCH: Conrad Logan