Second half car crash display as Mansfield Town lose at 10-men bottom club Shrewsbury Town

Will Evans gave the 1,600 away fans the perfect start with a fifth minute opener.

And when the struggling Shrews had Toto Nsiala sent off on 34 minutes the Stags had the game firmly in their grasp.

But a hugely disappointing second half saw them allow the depleted home team to fight back with two goals in nine minutes and hey had no reply.

John Marquis levelled on 54 minutes, with Stags keeper Christy Pym disappointingly beaten at his near post, before George Lloyd stole the Shrews an unlikely lead soon after.

Mansfield huffed and puffed but played far too many loose passes as Shrewsbury defended valiantly to send Stags slipping down to 14th.

Mansfield Town boss Nigel Clough – in charge of the side for a 200th time in EFL action – has said his players were low on confidence after recent results – and it showed as they lost a fifth game in a row for the second time this season and were also beaten away at a side sat bottom of the table for the second weekend in a row.

All three defeats this week have come at the hands of sides in the relegation zone and it leaves the manager with a tough week to lift heads before Northampton Town visit on Friday night.

Clough had made four changes from the side that faced Crawley on Tuesday with Elliott Hewitt, Deji Oshilaja, Stephen Quinn and Aaron Lewis replaced by Aden Flint, Lucas Akins, Keanu Baccus and Hiram Boateng.

But Stags were then forced into a late change as Louis Reed, named in the starting line-up, was replaced by George Maris just before kick-off and Callum Macdonald was added to the bench.

The visitors made a great start with a goal after just five minutes.

Baccus dummied to let the ball run to Maris. And he played a firm pass down the middle to Evans, who turned superbly and slotted past the keeper from seven yards with the Shrews looking in vain for an expected offside flag.

Evans then broke down the left on eight minutes but his shot from a tight angle failed to trouble the keeper.

Mansfield were piling on the early pressure, aiming to capitalise on their excellent start.

After some treatment for home keeper Blackman, the home side finally got out their half in the 20th minute and forced three successive corners.

Two more corners followed, and when the second was partially cleared, Gilliead was well off target with the home side's first goal attempt from outside the box.

Stags broke well and Gregory used his strength to set up a low shot at the keeper from strike partner Evans.

On 31 minutes Blackman dropped a long Cargill cross with no one able to capitalise, and seconds later Baccus had a shot deflect wide for a corner as Stags resumed some dominance.

But on 34 minutes Shrewsbury found themselves reduced to 10 men as Nsiala was sent off.

Gregory did superbly well to control a long ball, beat two men near the halfway line and race clear, the chasing Nsiala bringing him down as last man as Gregory was about to enter the box.

When play resumed, McLaughlin's free kick was straight into the home wall.

On 37 minutes Gregory was wrestled to the ground by Pierre who was shown an inevitable yellow card.

Lloyd was wide on the turn from a long throw on 40 minutes while in the last minute of the half Evans showed great control chasing a long ball forward but was too high with his ambitious chip at the other end.

So Stags went in with a one-goal and one-man advantage with little for Pym to do in the Mansfield goal, apart from some fine punching from the flurry of home corners.

Stags also started the second half in positive fashion and Gregory almost fashioned a chance with a one-two into the box, but his low cross was hacked clear.

The visitors won a corner on 50 minutes which Boateng took short to Akins.

Akins gave the ball back to Boateng and the midfielder rifled a low shot towards the near post which needed a save.

But the 10 men hauled themselves level on 54 minutes – and for the second game in row, the usually reliable Pym will feel he should have done better.

Flint headed a cross clear to Feeney. He floated the ball from the left towards the far post where Cargill had two opponents with him and Marquis jumped highest and saw Pym only able to half parry his header at his near post and find the net.

Quinn and Lewis came on for Baccus and Maris, who was struggling with a knock, as Clough tried to quickly regain control.

A minute later Cargill brought down Lloyd to earn a booking that will now see him suspended for the next two games.

Benning fired in a wicked free kick from that which Pym did well to save low at his left post.

The home side and supporters were clearly lifted by the unlikely equaliser and the game was back in the balance.

And on 63 minutes the plucky Shrews roared ahead.

Akins lost the ball in the middle of the park to Gilliead, who burst forward, spotted the run of Lloyd to his left and delivered the perfect pass for Lloyd to finish low from eight yards.

A minute later the home goal led a charmed life.

McLaughlin zipped in a low shot from the left of the box that came back off the far post and, amid a chaotic scramble, Boateng, Lewis and Akins all had finishes blocked.

Stags were then furious when a promising attack was halted as Feeny went down holding his head and the referee stopped play only for no apparent head injury at all.

Boateng sliced well wide with his volley on the turn on 69 minutes.

With 15 minutes left Kilgour came on for Cargill.

A good passing move ended with Boateng winning a corner from which Quinn slipped and wasted the moment, summing up Mansfield's second half.

A low Gilliead shot at the other end was easy for Pym, before Waine and Macdonald were thrown on for Boateng and McLaughlin for the final six minutes.

In the final minute of the 90 a free kick was awarded to Shrewsbury just as Evans poked a long ball into the goal.

In five thrilling minutes of stoppage time Flint had a header cleared off the line for the second game in a row and a follow-up blocked, then Macdonald sent a free kick into the home wall and Kilgour lashed the loose ball over the bar as the home side held on to the three precious points.

SHREWS: Blackman, Hoole, Bennett, Feeney, Lloyd, Perry, Gape (Ojo 75), Pierre, Gilliead (Biggins 81), Nsiala, Marquis (Nurse 90+3). SUBS NOT USED: Savin, Dinanga, Stewart, Shipley.

STAGS: Pym, Akins, Bowery, Flint, Cargill (Kilgour 75), McLaughlin (Macdonald 84), Maris (S. Quinn 57), Baccus (Lewis 57), Boateng (Waine 84), Evans, Gregory. SUBS NOT USED: Flinders, Hewitt.

REFEREE: David Rock.