Nervous night but Mansfield Town pip struggling Forest Green Rovers to go back into the top three

It was a much-needed first win in four outings for Stags and revitalised their promotion hopes.

Much of the night was one-way traffic as desperate Rovers defended for their lives before losing for a fifth time in six games.

Mansfield dominated the first half and deserved their 1-0 lead through Tom Nichols' 20th minute header, though Christy Pym was forced to make a good save just before the break to deny Rovers an equaliser against the run of play.

Stags tried so hard for a killer second after the break but were denied by some dogged Rovers defending.

But the result was all that mattered on the night and Stags again had Pym to thank for a fine double save three minutes from time to deny the visitors an undeserved share of the spoils.

Clough made four changes from the side that lost so heavily to Crawley on Saturday.

Stephen McLaughlin, Hiram Boateng, George Maris and Tom Nichols came in for George Williams, Elliott Hewitt, Ollie Clarke and Will Swan.

Hewitt had been expected to start but, after his first game for 10 months after his serious knee injury, was left out and, after warming up with the squad on the pitch, was replaced on the bench at the last minute by Cooper with Mansfield taking no chances over his comeback after so long out.

That meant Stags were again without six key defenders.

Akins and McLaughlin started as full backs with the versatile Bowery partnering captain Aden Flint in the centre of defence.

Mansfield were first to threaten as Reed drilled a low, central shot just wide from 20 yards in the fourth minute.

Maris tried his luck from 25 yards two minutes later and a slight deflection took out the sting as Reyes got down to gather.

Home hearts were in mouths on eight minutes as Inniss headed against a home post from a corner but the referee had already spotted a foul.

On 10 minutes Reyes did well to turn over a Boateng shot heading for the top left corner and the midfielder had another shot charged down soon afterwards.

Moore-Taylor turned Rovers' first chance wide from a Thompson corner at the near post on 16 minutes.

A defender got a leg in the way to Keillor-Dunn's shot on the turn on 19 minutes as Rovers defended in numbers and Stags patiently played the ball around sniffing for an opening.

And it came a minute later.

Boateng floated a cross to the far post where Nichols did well to get up and loop a header that seemed to take an eternity to go over Reyes and drop under the far angle.

Another good move by the home side on 32 minutes saw Keogh get a vital block onto Maris' low finish.

On 42 minutes Keillor-Dunn did well to evade three opponents on the right and play a low ball into the box where Maris spun well but directed his finish straight at Reyes.

But Stags had a scare in the 45th minute as McCann curled in a free kick from the tightest of angles on the left by-line and Pym had to claw it away to safety from under his crossbar.

Five minutes into the second half and Stags again worked Reyes, Boateng's pass finding Nichols on the left of the box and the striker forcing the Chile U23 international stopper to parry.

On 57 minutes great feet from Keillor-Dunn on the right saw him get into the box and flash a tempting cross-cum-shot across the face of goal that just needed a touch.

Four minutes later, great control in the box from Boateng set up Keillor-Dunn for an effort he curled just over the far angle from 14 yards.

Reyes was then down to gather a low McLaughlin free kick from 22 yards as Rovers held frustratingly firm.

A rare Rovers break saw Akins stick out a leg to divert the final cross away from danger.

Fresh legs were introduced with 19 minutes to go as Clarke and Swan joined the fray in place of Quinn and Maris.

Nicols was booked on 77 minutes for his foul on Garrick as he tried to get past him on the right.

Both sides made more changes as we reached the final nine minutes of the contest.

Lewis was added to the book for an 84th minute foul on Moore-Taylor.

Pym had been a virtual spectator all half. But on 87 minutes a Rovers break down the right saw Pym save superbly from Osadebe and then deny Kyle McAllister on the follow-up.

Tempers flared in stoppage time as Clarke was booked for a foul and Inniss was added for a shove on Clarke afterwards.

STAGS: Pym, Akins, Flint, Bowery, McLaughlin (Williams 88), Reed, Boateng, Quinn (Clarke 71), Maris (Swan 71), Keillor-Dunn (Gale 81), Nichols (Lewis 81). SUBS NOT USED: Flinders, Cooper.

ROVERS: Reyes, Moore-Taylor, Keogh, Inniss, Robson (Dabo 64), McCann, Osadebe, Bunker (Jones 64), Thompson ( 81), Garrick (Maddox 81), Doidge. SUBS NOT USED: Searle Bernard, Omotoye.

REFEREE: Daniel Middleton.

ATTENDANCE: 7,245 (80 away).