Spectacular Kelman curler sees Leyton Orient win five-goal thriller at Mansfield Town

Stags again played their part in a thrilling clash against a strong O's side but were finally shot down by a top drawer finish by two-goal Charlie Kelman – a goal worthy of winning any match.

It left Stags still three points short of the 50 they feel they need to be mathematically safe.

Dom Dwyer's third goal in four games gave Stags the perfect start in the third minute, and Aaron Lewis rattled the O's bar soon after as the home side made an excellent start.

Indeed, their high press kept Orient well at bay for much of the half.

But the very first shot or real threat the visitors had managed on 39 minutes saw Dilan Markandy turn well to net the equaliser.

Kelman then put Orient ahead on 54 minutes only for sub George Maris to make an immediate impact after coming on with a 62nd minute leveller.

But Kelman then curled home a top class winner under the far angle seven minutes later.

Nigel Clough made four changes to the side that lost 2-1 at Huddersfield at the weekend as Deji Oshilaja, Stephen McLaughlin, Aaron Lewis and Dom Dwyer replaced George Williams, Matty Craig, Caylan Vickers and Will Evans.

Evans missed out with a gashed foot.

But there was a return on the bench from injury for George Maris.

Stags went with two strikers in Dwyer and Akins in a 3-5-2, and Dwyer found the net inside the first three minutes.

Hewitt shrugged off a defender on the right and crossed hard and low across the face of goal from the by-line to set up Dwyer for a close range tap-in at the far post.

Stags almost doubled that early advantage on a ninth minute breakaway.

Lewis tackled Williams just outside the home box and led the charge. He found Akins to his right, who returned the ball to him as Lewis burst into the box and hit a superb shot at goal that came back down off the bar with Currie in quickly to block McLaughlin's follow-up.

Lewis hit a 13th minute free kick into the Orient wall and the visitors went forward, Bowery giving the ball away but recovering well to make the tackle and concede a corner.

Hewitt was booked on 25 minutes for a foul on Currie, who was trying to break away after blocking Hewitt's attempted cross.

Mansfield threatened again as Akins took on defenders on the right of the box and pulled a low pass back to Baccus, who lifted a finish over from 10 yards.

However, the Londoners levelled matters with their first shot of the night on 39 minutes.

Some neat passing down the middle worked the ball into the area and Markandy turned sharply on the left of the box before threading a neat finish across Pym and inside the far post via a slight deflection off Hewitt.

Stags then had some defending to do as Orient ended the half with their tails up, though Pym was well protected.

Dwyer was crowded out by two defenders as he tried to get a shot away in Stags' first foray in the Orient box after the break.

Then Hewitt headed over from a Lewis free kick.

But the home side's bright start to the half came to a shattering halt as Orient went ahead on 54 minutes.

The visitors passed their way into the box and a first time square ball to his left by Donley set up Kelman for a firm low finish from 16 yards inside the left post.

Brown halted a Stags break by hacking down McLaughlin to take a yellow card in the centre circle, Cargill joining him for a foul on Williams two minutes later.

Stags made a triple change on the hour as Maris, Boateng and Kilgour replaced Hewitt, Baccus and Dwyer.

And, after surviving a far post header from Brown from a free kick, which went just wide, the subs paid off within two minutes as Maris levelled.

Akins put the ball into his path and Maris strode purposefully into the box and fired a finish across Keeley and into the net.

However, Kelman bagged his second of the night on 69 minutes as the game took another twist.

Kelman cut inside Bowery from the left and, from the left corner of the box, curled a delicious finish under the far angle, giving Pym no chance.

Kilgour gave Abdulai a shove as he tried to waste time for a throw and both players were booked on 78 minutes.

Stags had a big shout for a penalty for a handball, but the referee said no and booked McLaughlin instead on 80 minutes.

A sustained spell of home pressure ended in a low Reed shot just wide from 20 yards.

Stags pitched Rhodes and Vickers into the action in place of Lewis and Reed with four minutes to play.

In four added minutes Boateng halted an O’s break to earn a booking as the visitors saw it out.

STAGS: Pym, Hewitt (Kilgour 60), Bowery, Oshilaja, Cargill, McLaughlin, Reed (Thodes 86) (Vickers 86), Baccus (Boateng 60), Lewis, Akins, Dwyer (Maris 60). SUBS NOT USED: Flinders, Flint.

ORIENT: Keeley, Cooper, Brown (Beckles 73), Williams, Currie, Donley, Kelman, Clare (Ball 89), Markandy (Pratley 81), Edmonds-Green, Abdulai (Agyei 81). SUBS NOT USED: Phillips, Pratley, Perkins, Jaiyesimi.

REFEREE: Charles Breakspear.

ATTENDANCE: 6,980 (201 away).