MEMORY MATCH: Struggling Mansfield Town shock leaders Walsall on last visit

Stags did win that one 2-1 but, younger fans who think things have been bad this season, can take comfort in the knowledge it was far worse when the table-topping Saddlers last visited the Stags.

The club was in turmoil with fans demonstrating against chairman Keith Haslam and Stags had just lost four out of five of their previous games, already fighting a battle for Football League survival.

That would be lost by the end of the following season.

But the day of the Walsall visit was one of the brighter moments over that and the following season, notable for Mansfield coming from behind to beat the league leaders - only their third defeat all season - and home debuts for new strike force Barry Conlon or Martin Gritton.

The afternoon began with the inevitable “Haslam Out” from a large section of Stags fans.

And the clouds of gloom gathered further as Walsall grabbed a ninth minute lead, very much against the run of play.

Stags had been struggling to defend set pieces all season and on nine minutes failed to clear a corner which saw Ian Roper able to find the net from close range.

Soon after, Conlon failed to net in a one-on-one after being sent clear by Simon Brown, seeing his finish blocked by the keeper's legs.

But Conlon did level the scores within two minutes as he made it 1-1 on 14 minutes.

Stephen Dawson provided the low cross from the left and Conlon met it with a rising finish for his third goal in as many games.

That got home tails well and truly up and Matt Hamshaw fired volley just wide from 20 yards.

As he tried to get a head on a Hamshaw free kick, key defender Alex-John Baptiste was in a collision with the Walsall keeper and, despite trying to play on with a back injury, had to come off on 37 minutes.

In the meantime it was all Mansfield and keeper Clayton Ince had to turn away a Hamshaw free kick and Conlon volleyed wide while Brown had penalty appeals turned down.

Before half-time attention shifted off-pitch where photographer Dan Westwell was being ejected by stewards for publicly displaying a 'Haslam Out' message on his laptop, the crowd loudly supporting him.

Conlon volleyed another chance wide in stoppage time as an emotional first half ended all square.

After another defensive injury blow, losing Johnny Mullins, Stags were ahead on 57 minutes as Gritton's challenge on Ince saw the keeper unable to grab the ball and Gritton tucked the loose ball home.

Gritton was later just wide with a lob, but Stags were indebted to skipper Jake Buxton for a goalline clearance to deny Hector Sam in stoppage time.