Injury-hit Mansfield secure vital home win over promotion rivals Stevenage

Injury-hit Mansfield pulled off a hard-earned 1-0 home win over visiting promotion rivals Stevenage.

Mansfield took the lead after 11 minutes when Lucas Akins had a shot blocked and then set up Davis Keillor-Dunn to his left for a follow-up that clipped James Gale en route which left keeper Thimothee Lo-Tutala unable to stop it crossing the line.

It was Gale’s second goal in five days, having scored his first EFL goal on Tuesday, but on 21 minutes he had to go off after a bang to the head.

There were few chances in a stop-start first half though the visitors had two late half-chances as Dan Sweeney nodded tamely over from a long throw on 39 minutes and then Jordan Roberts headed straight at Christy Pym on from Luther Wildin’s cross.

Carl Piergianni sent a far-post header straight at Pym on 49 minutes.

Keillor-Dunn came close on 69 minutes as his curler from the left went just over the far angle.

As Stevenage pushed hard, the Stags broke on 88 minutes and Rhys Oates fired over the bar before the home side successfully soaked up heavy pressure in six added minutes.