Mullin nets brace as Mansfield Town beaten by leaders Cambridge United

Paul Mullin netted a second-half brace as Mansfield Town were beaten by League Two leaders Cambridge United.

Harvey Knibbs had the final say in stoppage time to make it two defeats in three days for the Stags, their first back-to-back league losses since early December when the U’s recorded a 1-0 home win days after defeat at Harrogate.

Nigel Clough suggested the arrival the highflying Cambridge would be an opportunity to test how far his side have progressed this season.

At the interval his Stags' battling attributes had limited their highflying guests to only one real chance, but United showed enough quality in the final third to board the bus home with three points as their grip on the game grew tighter in the second 45.

Some sloppy final balls in to the box didn't aid Mansfield's cause in a game where efforts on goal were few and far between.

U's attacker Joe Ironside had the ball in the net early on at a blustery One Call Stadium, but the effort was riled out following a shove on Farrend Rawson in the build up.

The Stags, unchanged for the third game running, created their first chance as Stephen McLaughlin's corner whizzed through the crowded box before Ryan Sweeney's contact failed to truly test Callum Burton.

Jordan Bowery curled a strike inches wide from a wide angle and Harry Charsely also saw an effort from distance fail to hit the target.

But the best chance of the half fell to United midfielder Wes Hoolahan, the former Republic of Ireland international's effort denied by a brave close-range save from Stags stopper Aidan Stone.

Mullin gave the league leaders a 57th-minute lead as he finished off a swift counter-attacking move.

Luke Hannant set Harrison Dunk free down the left and his cross evaded Sweeney's outstretched boot before being volleyed home from close range.

As the hosts looked to level, Ollie Clarke's low effort didn't have the pace to trouble Burton, who then pulled off a fine reaction save to keep out Charsley's effort, which was flagged for offside.

Mullin's second of the day came eight minutes after his first. Collecting the ball at the back post after Mansfield failed to clear their lines, the striker powered a low effort beyond Stone from the tightest of angles.

As Jason Law looked to bend a 20-yarder into the Cambridge net a deflected ensured his effort didn't call Burton into action.

At the other end Stone got behind Harvey Knibbs' effort to keep the score down.

But Knibbs got that third in stoppage time with a powerful low effort, reacting quickest after Hoolahan and Ironside had worked the ball into the box.

Tyrese Sinclair came within a whisker of netting a late consolation, but Burton got across well to claw away the goalbound free kick.

STAGS: Stone, Perch, Rawson, Sweeney, McLaughlin, Maris, Quinn (Law 62), Clarke, Charsley (Sinclair 73), Reid, Bowery (Sarkic 90); Subs (not used): Stech, O'Keeffe, Benning, O'Driscoll.

CAMBRIDGE: Burton, Dunk, Okedina, Taylor, Knoyle, O'Neil (Drysdale 71), Hoolahan, May, Hannant (Knibbs 80), Mullin, Ironside; Subs (not used): McKenzie-Lyle, Davies, Alese, Iredale, Worman.

REFEREE: Sam Purkiss