Wasteful Mansfield Town beaten for 16th time

Nicky Maynard wasted chances for the Stags.shoots

MANSFIELD Town slipped to a frustrating 1-0 defeat at promotion-chasing Cheltenham Town.

Supersub Reuben Reid grabbed the only goal of the game in the 65th minute to condemn the Stags to their 16th league loss of the campaign.

Once again Graham Coughlan’s side squandered a host of chances on a frustrating afternoon.

He named an unchanged line up as the Stags chased back-to-back league wins for the first time this season and both sides had early chances at Whaddon Road.

Harry Charsley saw an early left-footed volley deflected wide, while at the other end Alfie May did well to cut inside before firing over the bar.

Nicky Maynard squandered a great chance for the visitors as Owen Evans kept him out when trying to go around the keeper in the 15th minute.

And Maynard missed another glorious opportunity 20 minutes later when he lashed wide of the target.

The Stags continued to pile on the pressure after the break.

Willem Tomlinson was well kept out by Evans one-on-one after being found by Charsley.

Michael Duff then made a triple substitution just before the hour.

But Charsley could have given Coughlan’s charges the lead when he curled an effort wide.

And substitute Reid made the wasteful Stags pay as he headed home Ryan Broom’s pin-point cross.

May thought he had doubled the advantage four minutes later before being judged offside.

The Stags struggled to keep up with the hosts’ fresh legs and Reid found May only for the latter to blast over the bar.

Stags’ shot-stopper Aidan Stones produced a fine low save to keep out Conor Thomas, while at the other end Krystian Pearce nodded Tomlinson’s corner straight at Evans as the visitors pushed for a late leveller.

Cheltenham: Evans, Raglan, Tozer, Boyle, Broom, Clements (Thomas, 57), Doyle-Hayes, Hussey, Nichols (Addai, 57), May, Varney (Reid, 57).

Unused subs: Lovett, Long, Greaves, Sheaf.

Mansfield: Stone, Sweeney, Pearce, Watts (Davies, 86), White, Tomlinson, Bishop, Hamilton, Charsley (Benning, 71), Rose, Maynard.

Unused subs: Olejnik, Evans, Riley, Clarke, Knowles.

Referee: John Busby.

Attendance: 3,274 (281).