Red card so costly as Mansfield Town lose seven-goal thriller at home to promotion rivals Swindon Town

Boateng went for two yellow cards, the second for delaying a free kick which boss Nigel Clough will be furious with as Stags were still in the game, traling 3-2 at that point.

But that is now only one home win in five outings and more precious promotion points dropped.

A thrilling first half saw Mansfield go ahead after only 36 seconds through Kellan Gordon, but Swindon hit back through Jonny Williams on seven minutes.

Will Swan dispatched a superb finish to restore the lead on 30 minutes only to see that man Williams again pop up quickest to a loose ball to level for a second time.

But six minutes after the break the Robins were ahead for the first time through Luke Jephcott, and the home side suffered another blow when Boateng was dismissed for a second yellow card with 31 minutes still to play.

It was a second home red card in five days for Mansfield.

Swindon made them pay as Ronan Darcy curled in a magnificent top corner finish on 68 minutes and Ben Gladwin poured on the agony from the spot on 85 minutes.

Nigel Clough freshened up his side with five changes to the side that drew 0-0 at home with Newport County in midweek.

James Perch, Kieran Wallace, Anthony Hartigan, Ollie Clarke and Lucas Akins were replaced by Kellan Gordon, John-Joe O'Toole, Stephen McLaughlin, Stephen Quinn and Will Swan with McLaughlin named as captain.

The visitors made two changes as midweek late equaliser sub hero Luke Jephcott and Ronan Darcy took over from Ricky Aguiar and Frazer Blake-Tracy.

After conceding after a minute in both halves at Crawley last weekend, Stags made the perfect start by grabbing the lead after only 36 seconds.

Mansfield worked the ball from a throw in on the left and McLaughlin eventually sent a firm low ball across the box to where Gordon was waiting unmarked at the far post for an easy finish.

Swindon tried to respond immediately and a left wing cross picked out Jephcott for a firm header that Pym had to palm away for a corner on three minutes.

Two minutes later a half-clearance reached Khan who sent a rasping 20-yard drive just over the bar.

But they were forced into an 18th minute change as Clayton limped off to be replaced by Baudry.

Mansfield were back in front on the half-hour mark with a superb move down the centre.

Boateng won the ball in the middle of the pitch and fed Lapslie who sliced open Swindon with a superb through ball that Swan raced onto before dispatching a perfect low finish past Brynn from 10 yards.

A bone-crunching tackle on Khan from Boateng soon after saw the Stags man shown the game's first yellow card.

But Swindon levelled matters again on 35 minutes. A through ball put Hutton in space in the right and his low shot across Pym hit the base of the far post.

Somehow it rebounded outwards where the defence had froze and Williams was the only one alive and quickly put away the loose ball for a second time.

Maris was added to the book for a tackle from behind on Khan on 38 minutes.

On 40 minutes Pym was safely behind a low shot on the turn from Darcy and a minute later Swan's first time flick sailed wide from Gordon's powerful low cross as an absorbing game continued to flow from end to end and the sides unable to be separated at the break.

Maris was replaced by Hartigan in the home midfield for the second half.

A loose pass by McLaughlin handed Robins possession and Darcy's through ball looked to have put Jephcott in on goal, Pym alive to the danger and out quickly to spread his body and block.

Mansfield's reply was a move that saw Lapslie fall but still manage to flick the ball up for Swan to volley powerfully over.

Seconds later Gordon was in acres of space on the right but chose to shoot and Brynn got his angles right to block.

Instead Swindon went ahead for the first time on 51 minutes as Wakeling got to the left by-line and pulled back a low finish that Jephcott buried from 12 yards.

Pym was down to make another good stop on 58 minutes as Williams sent Darcy in on goal.

Further disaster struck Stags on 59 minutes as Boateng halted a break with a foul and, having seemingly got way with a second caution, delayed the restart and was sent off for his second yellow card, Pym also added to the book for his protests.

Clarke replaced Quinn and on the restart Swan flashed a shot off target on the right.

But it was 4-2 on 68 minutes. The lively Hutton again crossed from the right and Pym was able to smother Wakeling's finish.

But the ball was recycled to Darcy, 20 yards out and he curled in an unstoppable finish into the top right corner.

O'Toole went into the book for dissent on 70 minutes and Williams joined him two minutes later after squaring up to O'Toole and sparking a flare-up between the sides.

Pym denied Williams a hat-trick on 76 minutes as he dived to his right to parry a low 20-yard effort.

Then Iandolo raced away from a Gordon cross that was blocked and he put in Jephcott only to see him fire into the sidenetting.

Jephcott then delayed the restart to earn a booking.

Desperate, Stags threw on Bowery and Akins for Gordon and McLaughlin with 12 minutes to play and Law soon followed for Lapslie.

But it was the visitors who extended their lead on 85 minutes as Pym needlessly brought down Jephcott as he tried to go round him but wide and Gladwin drilled home the spot kick under the keeper's dive.

On 87 minutes Roberts sent a powerful diving header against the home bar as Swindon enjoyed their afternoon.

In the final minutes Law hit the sidenetting and Bowery forced a save as Swindon held firm.

STAGS: Pym, Gordon (Swindon made them pay as Ronan Darcy curled in a magnificent top corner finish on 68 minutes. 78), Hewitt, Hawkins, O'Toole, McLaughlin (Akins 78), Maris (Hartigan HT), Boateng, Quinn (Clarke 66), Lapslie (Law 82), Swan. SUBS NOT USED: Flinders, Wallace.

SWINDON: Brynn, Hutton, Iandolo, Clayton (Baudry 18), Gladwin, Williams (Shade 83), Darcy, Jephcott, Khan (Reed 66), Wakeling Roberts 83), Brennan. SUBS: Brann, Aguiar, Lavinier

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REFEREE: Carol Brook.

ATTENDANCE: 6,804 (734 away).