Stockport County 1 Mansfield Town 3

There had been little in the game in a scrappy first half until Colin Daniel’s rocket free kick provided the big breakthrough on 38 minutes.

Two minutes later Lee Stevenson prodded home the second from Green’s attempted shot and, three minuets into stoppage time, Green tucked away a penalty to give County no way back and make it a miserable debut for on-loan Chesterfield keeper Richard O’Donnell.

Sub Alex Meaney did pull one back with nine minutes to go, but the result extended Stockport’s poor run to one win in nine.

The visitors had a A THREE-goal purple patch in the last 10 minutes of the first half secured Mansfield Town three crucial points at Stockport County last night.

There had been little in the game in a scrappy first half until Colin Daniel’s rocket free kick provided the big breakthrough on 38 minutes.

Two minutes later Lee Stevenson prodded home the second from Green’s attempted shot and, three minuets into stoppage time, Green tucked away a penalty to give County no way back and make it a miserable debut for on-loan Chesterfield keeper Richard O’Donnell.

Sub Alex Meaney did pull one back with nine minutes to go, but the result extended Stockport’s poor run to one win in nine.

The visitors had an early let-off. Stockport won a fifth minute corner, curled in by Whitehead from the left which saw Hattersley meet it with a firm free header that missed the target from seven yards.

And they had an even bigger let-off when County wasted an eighth minute penalty kick.

Halls powered his way down the right, shrugging off the challenge of Murray and curling in a dangerous cross which struck the hand of Sutton.

The referee immediately pointed to the spot and Hattersley stepped up to send his kick just wide of the left hand post.

It took Mansfield 16 minutes to fashion a chance as Daniel drilled in a low cross-cum-shot from the left which Newton stopped, the ball then played from Murray to Stevenson whose point blank range finish was blocked by the keeper.

From another Mansfield raid, Stags found themselves caught four on three on the counter and were relieved to see Whitehead choose the wrong final pass and allowing Dempster to clear.

Mansfield almost grabbed the lead on 34 minutes. Murray floated in a corner from the right, which Beevers met with a looping header that looked destined for the top corner until Newton headed it off the line.

But a screaming free kick from Daniel did break the deadlock on 38 minutes.

Conceded by Stockport 20 yards out on the right of the D, Daniel struck it with his trusty left boot and it screamed through the wall and into the centre of the goal.

Mansfield then helped themselves to a second goal on 40 minutes.

Green drilled the ball in low from the right of the goal, and it took a slight deflection on its way to the far post where Stevenson prodded it over the line to make sure.

The visitors were then gifted a third three minutes into stoppage time.

From a Murray corner, Hattersley clearly shoved over Dempster and Green coolly crashed the penalty high down the centre to leave the home side booed off. The desperate home side made a double change for the second half, Collins and Mainwaring on for Hattersley and Halls.

And they almost stole one back as Kenyon glanced a header wide across goal from a Newton corner on 55 minutes.

Howell almost made it four for Mansfield on 66 minutes from a Jones nod-down, but, from a great position, poked just wide of the far post.

Some sublime footwork by defender Dempster saw him work his way to beyond the halfway line and find Meikle with a superb pass, the winger’s low ball in just too hard for Stevenson coming in at the far post.

Sub Meaney was booked inside two minutes of coming on, but he did pull one back on 81 minutes.

Whitehead played a one-two with Jennings before seeing his finish come back off the post where Meaney turned it home from close range.

But it was too little too late for the home side.

n early let-off. Stockport won a fifth minute corner, curled in by Whitehead from the left which saw Hattersley meet it with a firm free header that missed the target from seven yards.