Stags hold on to stun Cod Army

Mansfield gained sweet revenge with three priceless points in a narrow 1-0 win against high-flying visitors Fleetwood.

The Stags were stung by a stoppage time winner in a thrilling 5-4 defeat at Highbury Stadium in November, but this time clung on to Matt Rhead's 31st minute header. The visitors upped a gear in the second half and Jon Parkin did hit the post late on, but gutsy Mansfield were well worthy of their win in the end. The Stags had the better of the first half with the visitors failing to test home goalkeeper Alan Marriott. Mansfield might have gone ahead after only only seven minutes when Sam Clucas cued up Junior Daniel for a low shot that flew straight at Chris Maxwell. But, after a scrappy first half hour, the big breakthrough came in the 31st minute when Rhead was offered a free header from a Chris Clements corner from the right, which Maxwell could not keep out despite getting a hand to it. It took 57 minutes for Fleetwood to find a shot on goal, Gareth Evans curling a 20-yard free kick at Marriott. But two minutes later Marriott had to tip over a dipping effort from Antoni Sarcevic. That sparked the first sustained spell of pressure from Fleetwood, though Clucas was not far wide with a low shot on a counter-attack. Liam Hogan headed straight at Marriott from a 75th minute corner as the home side continued to defend deeper and deeper. But Mansfield did have chances to seal it and two minutes later Maxwell had to parry a near-post header from a corner before Rhead poked a loose ball straight at him from a corner. Six minutes from time Evans rolled a free kick to the near post where Parkin lifted the ball against the woodwork from close range and Fleetwood knew it was not to be their day.