Stags stunned! Mansfield Town undone by three late Bolton Wanderers goals

Mansfield Town's eight-game unbeaten run came to an end as Bolton Wanderers fought back from 2-0 down to claim the three points.

Ollie Clarke and Jamie Reid put Nigel Clough's side into a commanding position, but three goals in the final 11 minutes left the Stags stunned.

Declan John netted twice for the visitors before one-time Mansfield trialist Arthur Gnahoua had the final say as the hosts lost a League Two match for the first time in more than two months.

The Stags - playing their first home game in six weeks and unchanged from Sunday's draw at Colchester United - created the better early chances.Jordan Bowery tested Trotters stopper Matt Gilks with a first-time effort before Stephen Quinn had an early penalty shout dismissed by referee Antony Coggins.

The presure continued as Ryan Sweeney's flick on was cleared off the line by Mansfield old boy Alex Baptiste and Clarke's diving header cleared the bar.

Despite the Stags looking on top, it was Wanderers' Oladapo Afalayan who went closest to opening the scoring with half an hour on the clock.

Picking the ball up deep in his own half the West Ham loanee, who had a brief spell at One Call Stadium two years ago, confidently skipped two challenges before seeing his low drive beat Aidan Stone but rebound into play off the inside of the hosts' upright.

Looking to regain their upper hand, Stags striker Bowery headed a George Maris corner off target.

As the game opened up, Stone did well to get a finger to John's strike after the effort took a looping deflection, the keeper's intervention enough to put off the lurking Marcus Maddison as he attempted to capitalise on the loose ball.

The second half began in similar fashion to the first, Bowery forcing a save from Gilks. This time his tight-angled effort was pushed away by the Bolton keeper at his near post.

Maddison's trickery saw him reach the byline and fire an inviting low ball across the Stags' six yard box, but with no teammates gambling the chance disappeared, as did Maddison moments later as he was replaced by Nathan Delfouneso.

Stephen McLaughlin saw a similar cross evade everyone in the opposite area as the opportunity, like the game, was calling out for somebody to just take a chance.

That man was Stags skipper Clarke who opened the scoring in the 65th minute.

His 20-yard effort was struck with power behind it but Gilks should have done better with the strike which he - with a clear sight of the flight of the ball - somehow palmed into his own net.

That lead was doubled in the 72nd minute by in-form Reid.

George Maris' pinpoint pass split the Trotters defence, allowing the Mansfield man to set himself before firing his low effort beyond Gilks and in off the post.

Bolton's hopes of forcing their way back into the contest saw Stone react well to clear his lines following a goalmouth scramble.

But there was little he could do as John's apparent cross from out wide on the left swerved beyond the keeper's reach before nestling into the net.

The Trotters were level with five to go as John's corner was returned. This time he smashed in a low cross that found the net off Mal Benning, who had just replaced Quinn.

Harry Charsley's effort was deflected wide as the Stags pushed forward to regain the lead, Reid and Benning failing the find a killer touch from the resultant corner.

Former Stags trialist Gnahoua completed the turnaround with a moment of class, a 20-yard curler that left the hosts wondering just how the contest was turned on its head.

A tough one to take.

STAGS: Stone, Perch, Rawson, Sweeney, McLaughlin, Maris, Quinn (Benning 83), O. Clarke, Charsley, Reid, Bowery; Subs (not used): O'Keeffe, O'Driscoll, J. Clarke, Sinclair, Law.

BOLTON: Gilks, Jones, Williams, Almeida Santos, Doyle, Maddiosn (Delfouneso 62), Isgrove (Miller 83), Baptiste, John, Lee (Thomason 83), Afolayan (Gnahoua 72); Subas (not used): Comley, Tutte, Jackson.

REF: Antony Coggins.