Cambridge United earned three points in one of the most eventful games of the season. Danny Crow netted a ninetieth minute penalty winner for Martin Ling's side, who had been down to ten men following David Partridge's dismissal, before Jon Shaw missed a spot kick six minutes into stoppage time to give The U's three points.
The result also guarantees safety for The U's as they sit thirteen points above the drop. Fans can look forward to a clean slate in the same division in August, but Martin Ling will be looking to cement a top half finish as his side end the Bank Holiday weekend in eleventh place.
Martin Ling made three changes from Saturday's loss at Gateshead by bringing in Josh Coulson, Jai Reason and Lee Phillips in place of Aiden Palmer, Calum Willock and the injured Kevin Roberts. Two former U's were named in the Mansfield sixteen with Jon Challinor starting and Matt Somner on the bench. Rob Duffy missed out through injury for The Stags, while U's keeper Danny Potter was named on the bench for the first time since sustaining a shoulder injury.
Both sides created openings in the early stages, as Lee Phillips was just beaten to the ball by the brave Alan Marriott before Kyle Perry should have put the visitors ahead but failed to connect to Jake Speight's close-range knockdown.
Simon Brown was forced into conceding a corner after a freakish deflection nearly saw a cross deceive everyone, before his opposite number Marriott was again forced into action to save well following a marauding run by Scott Neilson, before the game sparked into life with both sides scoring inside sixty seconds.
First Josh Coulson powered home a free header from Jai Reason's right wing cross to open the scoring, before Mansfield struck back as Rory McAuley inadvertently directed a long ball into the path of Jake Speight, who lobbed a perfect finish above the helpless Brown from just inside the box.
Mansfield were forced into a change soon afterwards as Michael Brough was replaced with a dislocated shoulder after colliding with his own goalkeeper to be replaced by Kyle Nix. Lee Phillips forced a corner after carrying the ball well, before Simon Russell lashed a thunderous thirty yard effort wide of the far post.With United ending the half strongly, Danny Crow landed an effort from out wide onto the crossbar, before the referee brought an entertaining half to an end.
United couldn't have made a better start to the second half and retook the lead within five minutes. Simon Russell's splendid through ball set up Danny Crow for a run at goal on the left, and the striker's attempted curler was nodded home from close range by Lee Phillips.
Once again The U's were unable to hold their lead for long as Mansfield hit back within six minutes, sub Kyle Nix's hooked ball back in from a corner evading everyone and bouncing into the far corner, before United suffered even further with their fourth red card of the season. Already on a yellow, David Partridge lost the ball to Speight and responded by hauling him down, leaving referee S Burt with no choice but to send the left back off.
Martin Ling responded by bringing Aiden Palmer on to maintain a back four, Scott Neilson the unfortunate player to be sacrificed. Chances from then on were more difficult to come by, with Jai Reason almost played through before being superbly challenged by Gary Silk and at the other end Andy Burgess firing down Simon Brown's throat from long range.
Things weren't finished yet, and two penalties were given in stoppage time to give the U's a thrilling win. Both penalties were dubious at best. Lee Phillips was deemed to have been fouled by Challinor, allowing Danny Crow to just beat Marriott at his right hand post. As the game entered the ninety-sixth minute the referee evened things up with an even more bizarre decision, Brian Saah was penalised for an off-ball incident. Sub Jon Shaw stepped up but fired wide of Brown's goal, before the final whistle brought one of the games of the season to an end.
Man of the Match: Jai Reason. The midfielder continues to be erratic with his performances, but his distribution today came as a reminder of what the youngster is capable of, while Simon Russell again impressed out wide and Josh Coulson letting very little past him at the back.
Full minute-by-minute coverage below.
Reporting by Matt Ramsay
14.35 Afternoon one and all. I'm here to guide you through this afternoon's Conference clash between Cambridge United and Mansfield Town. Martin Ling makes three changes from Saturday's disappointing defeat at Gateshead, bringing in Jai Reason, Josh Coulson and Lee Phillips. Former U Jon Challinor starts for Mansfield with Matt Somner on the bench.
CUFC: Simon Brown; Rory McAuley, David Partridge, Josh Coulson, Brian Saah; Jai Reason, Paul Carden (c), Simon Russell, Scott Neilson; Lee Phillips, Danny Crow.
Subs: Danny Potter, Aiden Palmer, Antonio Murray, Adam Marriott, Calum Willock.
Mansfield: Alan Marriott; Andy Nicholas, Luke Foster (c), Michael Brough, Gary Silk; Jon Challinor, Gary Mills, Andy Burgess; Jake Speight, Blair Sturrock, Kyle Perry.
Subs: Jon Shaw, Kyle Nix, Louis Briscoe, Matt Somner, Neil Collett.
14.58 The sides are out, United in their traditional amber and black with the visitors in blue and white stripes.
15.01 The teams have turned around before kick off so The U's will be shooting towards the Newmarket Road End in the first half. Both sides embark on a pre-game huddle, and then Mansfield get us underway.
15.03 An early important interception from Paul Carden to stop the ball being pulled back to Jon Challinor, before United break away and Scott Neilson nods a cross back across goal and Lee Phillips is just beaten to the ball by Alan Marriott.
15.11 A bit of concern for David Partridge as he gets beaten in the air by Jon Challinor and comes off second best. No foul by Challinor it has to be said, but it's shaken the United left back up a bit.
15.13 Thankfully Partridge is OK, but as play resumes he receives further treatment before getting back on. Jake Speight flicks a cross back across and Kyle Perry is rushing in at the far post and somehow fails to make contact.
15.15 Danny Crow creates a beautiful through ball which cuts the defence open towards Scott Neilson, but he is well closed down at the expense of a corner. Reason's cross is headed behind for another on the opposite flank and the ball is cleared back to the same player, who delivers into Marriott's hands.
15.18 A deep freekick is met by Josh Coulson and the centre back can only attempt to nod the ball back across, but Marriott is again on hand to make the claim.
15.21 A freakish deflection forces Simon Brown to tip the ball over his own bar, and the stopper gets nowhere near the cross before claiming. United break and Marriott is on hand to save well from Neilson's effort from outside the box, before tipping the ensuing cross behind. Simon Russell picks up a cleared delivery but his whipped cross is just too high.
15.25 GOAL CUFC 1-0 Mansfield. United breakthrough as Jai Reason's corner is met by a free header from Josh Coulson, who nods powerfully home to double his career tally.
15.26 GOAL CUFC 1-1 Mansfield. Careless in the extreme from United to concede so soon. A ball forward skews off Rory McAuley's boot and between the defence to Jake Speight, whose finish from just inside the area is excellent, lobbing the helpless Brown. Less than a minute between the two goals.
15.32 An early change for Mansfield as Kyle Nix replaces the injured Michael Brough, who collided with his own goalkeeper a few moments ago.
15.36 An off-ball clash between Kyle Perry and Brian Saah following a long throw sees the Mansfield striker staying down. The referee saw nothing but Perry needs treatment, before a drop ball sees United retain possession.
15.38 Josh Coulson needs to be alert to stop a through ball setting the fit-again Perry free, before Lee Phillips does well to win a corner when taking on the Stags' backline.
15.40 Another corner for The U's as Jai Reason's ball doesn't quite fall for Simon Russell who is closed down at the expense of a flag-kick before Luke Foster's casual back-header is almost intercepted by Danny Crow.
15.43 Simon Russell brings the ball over half way, and twenty yards later the winger realises he has no support so lets fl the winger realises he has no support so lets with a crushing right footed effort from thirty-yards which flies wide of the far post.
15.44 The two physio's have been busy this half, and Josh Coulson is the patient this time after being head butted by Jai Reason as the two players went for the same ball. Coulson probably doesn't appreciate it greatly, but he's able to get up and head the next ball away.
15.46 David Partridge gets the first booking if the afternoon for taking out Jake Speight. The number of stoppages is highlighted by the award of four minutes added time, which we're now into.
15.48 United nearly go into the break in front. Jai Reason brings the ball forward well before laying off to Simon Russell, whose cross misses everyone until finding Danny Crow, whose chipped ball back in lands on the top of the bar an goes over.
15.51 That's half time, and an entertaining fourty-five comes to an end with the sides all square.
HALF TIME CUFC 1-1 Mansfield Town.
16.05 We're underway again with United shooting towards the South Stand for the second half.
16.08 Two penalties appeals for United inside a minute, first Danny Crow loses his footing when trying to control a flick on and then Jai Reason takes a tumble when running onto a through ball. The balls comes back to Simon Russell, who fires well over.
16.10 GOAL. CUFC 2-1 Mansfield. Simon Russell conjures a cracking through ball to Danny Crow on the left, and as the flag stays down he curls a shot towards the far post which is heading wide before being nodded in from two yards by Lee Phillips.
16.12 A second change for Mansfield as Louis Briscoe comes on for Blair Sturrock.
16.16 GOAL. CUFC 2-2 Mansfield. A Mansfield corner is cleared to Kyle Nix, whose hooked ball over the shoulder back in evades everybody including Kyle Perry in front of Brown, leaving the ball to bounce into the roof of the net.
16.17 RED CARD. The game has changed within two minutes. David Partridge is caught out by Jake Speight and responds by bringing him down, earning him a second yellow card.
16.19 Martin Long responds by bringing on Aiden Palmer for Scott Neilson. Kyle Perry goes into the book for a foul.
16.21 Today's attendance is 2823, with 225 from Mansfield. The visitors should be ahead as Louis Briscoe is adjudged to be onside, before crossing just in front of Perry.
16.29 After Danny Crow is felled by a superb but robust challenge from Luke Foster, Mansfield bring the ball away at speed and the ten men of United are forced to defend in numbers.
16.31 Chances going forward are going to be rare for United but they nearly create something as Russell feeds Aiden Palmer towards the byeline, but the substitute defender is just offside.
16.34 Ironic cheers as United win their first freekick for some time, forty yards out. Lee Phillips tries to nod the ball back to Russell but misdirects the pass, before Mansfield find Challinor on the edge of the box, Paul Carden making a vital block.
16.36 Jon Shaw comes on for goalscorer Jake Speight as Mansfield make their final change.
16.37 United work the ball beautifull16.37 United work the ball beautifully but have to settle for a corner after a splendid challenge by Gary Silk as both Reason and Phillips looked to run onto Russell's pass. Danny Crow finds some space as the ball is cleared, but his shot from distance is always rising and goes well over.
16.39 Andy Burgess tries his luck from way out but Simon Brown watches it well and holds the ball in front of onrushing strikers.
16.44 Mansfield nearly create something from nothing as a flick on finds Nix unmarked inside the box, but Brown is close enough to him to jump up to his attempted lob.
16.45 Gary Mills has his head in his hands as the ball falls to him from just outside the box and his volley is deflected inches wide.
16.49 PENALTY. GOAL CUFC 3-2 Mansfield. United with a golden chance to win it as Jon Challinor is adjudged to have fouled Lee Phillips after Simon Russell's knock down. It wasn't a clear penalty, put it that way. Danny Crow steps up and sends the ball to Marriott's right, just beating the keeper down low. We immediately go into four minutes of stoppage time.
16.51 Mansfield get their chance with a freekick just outside the box, but United breathe a sigh of relief as Nix fires over. Lee Phillips gets a standing ovation as he is replaced by Antonio Murray.
16.55 MISSED PENALTY. The referee evens things up, bafflingly. The ball is cleared but the penalty is given for an off-ball incident, with Saah booked. In the ninety-sixth minute, Jon Shaw steps up and drags his effort wide of Brown's right hand post! Rory McAuley goes into the book for something, but nobody cares as the final whistle goes to signal the end of a thrilling game of football.
FULL TIME Cambridge United 3-2 Mansfield Town
