Cambridge United have now gone ten league matches without an away win after they were deservedly beaten by Mansfield Town.
Without the suspended Wayne Hatswell, The U's were dealt a further double blow with the news that influential pairing Paul Carden and Brian Saah were both unavailable through injury, forcing Martin Ling into three changes. Josh Coulson and Rory McAuley came in as central defenders, while Jai Reason joined Sam Ives in midfield.
To compound the 2-1 defeat at Field Mill, captain for the day Dan Gleeson was withdrawn with a broken nose and may miss Friday's visit to Stevenage Borough.
Substitute Jake Speight made the difference in this fixture, returning from injury to come on and score the winning goal seventeen minutes from time. The Stags deserved their victory, their first at home in almost three months. After starting well The U's were hit by a goal against the run of play, Kyle Perry converting from close range following a right wing cross.
Despite equalising just before the interval through Chris Holroyd after the best move of the match following excellent work by Courtney Pitt and Anthony Tonkin, The U's were second best throughout the second half, holding out until the seventy-second minute when Perry intervened to deservedly seal the points for the hosts.
Elsewhere, CRC beat Histon Reserves 2-1 at The Abbey, Jack Eades and Luke Berry the scorers.
Full as-it-happened account below.
Matt Ramsay
16.56 The final whistle blows, Mansfield have seen off Cambridge United 2-1.
16.52 Mark Beesley is felled after trying a through ball. Willmott's freekick is wasteful, something that has cost United this afternoon. Mansfield take it into the other end and win a corner.
16.51. Bizarrely, there are six minutes to be added, spurring he United fans onto a final bout of noise.
16.50 The tireless Sam Ives wins a corner with a minute to go. Pitt again overhits his delivery. The excellent Ryan Williams is replaced by Andy Burgess for Mansfield.
16.48 A frustrated Danny Crow is perhaps fortunate not to be booked after following through on his man. Chris Holroyd wins a freekick wide on the right. Darryl Coakley receives the ball on the opposite flank and delivers an excellent ball which is just too high for Danny Crow, with Ives lurking just behind.
16.45 Briscoe gets past two challenges, and as it looks like it could open up for him he smashes the ball at Rory McAuley.
16.44. Mansfield are winding the clock down in the corner with five minutes still to play. United can't get hold of the ball, never mind get it forward.
16.41 Matt Somner fouls Reason, but a quick free kick is wasted and Robbie Willmott is forced into an outstanding challenge to deny Mansfield a clear run through on goal.
16.39 Rory McAuley gets up from the back and The U's string passes together for virtually the first time all half. Courtney Pitt overhits a freekick into Marriott's hands.
16.38 Louis Briscoe goes in the book for Mansfield after clattering Courtney Pitt.
16.37 Attacking change for United, Mark Beesley comes on for Josh Coulson as The U's look to get back into the game.
16.35 Courtney Pitt is the first U's player in the book for charging into his man, who needs treatment. 3368 fans inside Field Mill today. Thirteen minutes left.
16.33 GOAL. Mansfield 2-1 CUFC. Speight has made a massive difference since coming on, and he puts The Stags ahead. A flick on from the right finds Speight in space, and he cuts inside a defender before placing the ball past a helpless Potter.
16.31 Under twenty minutes to play. The U's backline is even more patched up than it was before the game, and it's been all Mansfield since Holroyd's chance early in the second half.
16.29. Jake Speight connects with an excellent overhead kick from a freekick following a McAuley foul, but sends it just wide with Potter beaten.
16.28 Gleeson has a cut and is lead down the tunnel, Darryl Coakley coming on to replace him. He goes leftback with Tonkin going over to the opposite side to cover on the right. The U's have three wingbacks on the pitch.
16.26 Dan Gleeson makes a fine tackle on Ryan Williams, who replies by fouling the U's skipper and earns a booking. Gleeson receives treatment from Greg Reid, while Williams becomes the third Stags player in the notebook.
16.25 Mansfield's best move of the half ends with Briscoe feeding Williams on the left edge of the box, but his effort flies wide of the far post.
16.23 Holroyd chases a loose ball and keeps it in, and his cross bounces just in front of Marriott who claims it well.
16.21 Rob Duffy is replaced by Louis Briscoe for Mansfield.
16.19 Willmott goes down in a heap after the ball has gone, leading to a few stern words from captain Gleeson. Consulting his linesman, the referee books Heckinbottom for the foul.
16.17 Rory McAuley makes a vital header after Williams gets free and crosses from the right. At the other end. Danny Crow wins yet another freekick after being bundled over.
16.16 Duffy works himself some space and gets a shot away, but straight at Potter from just outside the box.
16.15 The away fans are in better voice at this point with Stags fans starting to get frustrated with their side. Sam Ives charges forward and wins a throw in the corner.
16.13 Both sides see a good passing opportunity go astray, before a long ball through finds Perry in an offside position. He scores anyway just in case, but it won't count.
16.11 Sam Ives pounces on a loose ball and is fouled by Michael Brough when getting into his stride. Willmott's ball in beats everyone and goes out for a goal kick.
16.10 Jake Speight's first involvement is to run past three men, lost out to Tonkin and then clearly throw an arm at the U's defender. The referee books him, the first yellow card of the game.
16.08 Mansfield make the first change of the afternoon. Jake Speight makes his way on for Lee Morris.
16.05. Danny Crow is felled when chesting the ball down just inside the Mansfield half. The U's are attacking the goal where their own fans are congregated. Holroyd finds himself completely unmarked, but slips at the crucial time and the ball trickles wide.
16.04. The second half gets underway, no changes so far. Mansfield kick off.
15.53. 1-1 is probably a fair reflection of the game so far. The U's started well before Mansfield came back strongly and opened the scoring. The two best moves of the match have resulted in two goals, both taken clinically by the strikers.
Ives and Reason have both looked busy in the midfield and Robbie Willmott is looking more dangerous this afternoon. Luke Berry has put CRC 2-1 ahead against Histon Reserves.
15.49. Lee Morris has a run at Tonkin, who stands up well to see the ball out for a goalkick. Morris stays down, but that's half time.
15.47 Two added minutes to be played. Danny Potter gets down well to save to his left from a Duffy header as he gets above Coulson to head at goal.
15.45 Holroyd is set away with a long ball over the top. The flag stays down by the ball is just too powerful for him to control.
15.44 GOAL. Mansfield 1-1 CUFC. United level with a brilliant move, Pitt feeding AnthonyTonkin on the overlap, and his powerful ball along the ground is fired into an empty net by Chris Holroyd.
15.42 As Ives is bundled over, Jai Reason plays a killer through ball to Holroyd, who just creeps offside before the ball is played.
15.41 Danny Crow eases his fan off the ball and fouls his fan in doing so, about thirty-five yards from Potter's goal. Williams' delivery is well cleared by Coulson.
15.38 United suddenly see a lot of the ball, Josh Coulson reading the ball well and running on after the ball had gone, before Crow is fouled out wide. Willmott's freekick is punched away unconvincingly but the ball falls to a Mansfield defender.
15.34 Anthony Tonkin makes a brilliant tackle to deny Perry racing away ten yards outside the box. Peterborough are 3-0 down at home to Cardiff.
15.33 Mansfield are winning all the headers in the United penalty area, but an offside flag gives The U's some respite after being completely dominated for the last few minutes.
15.32 Tonkin has to play safe again, heading behind for a corner with Perry lurking behind him.
15.28. GOAL. Mansfield 1-0 CUFC. Ryan Williams gets some space on the right, and Kyle Perry is on hand to side foot home past Potter to his right hand side from just outside the six yard box. The pressure had been building in the last few minutes. Mansfield lead.
15.27 Willmott gets past one man but is denied by an excellent Somner challenge, and Mansfield break before Tonkin opts for safety and puts the ball behind. Danny Potter claims a second ball.
15.23 CRC and Histon Reserves are now level at 1-1. Mansfield win a corner after the ball falls to Scott Garner at the back post, Potter getting down well to tip the ball wide.
15.21 Jai Reason wins a corner on the left wing after good work by Tonkin and Pitt. Pitt picks up a loose ball from the set piece but he's closed down and the shot is blocked. Pitt picks the ball back up and Chris Holroyd's back header is saved low by Marriott.
15.19 Danny Potter makes a good punch to clear a long freekick, and Courtney Pitt is fouled on the edge of his own area to end the pressure from the hosts.
15.17 Lee Morris wins a corner on the right side, but Danny Crow is back to clear the danger.
15.16 Mansfield are happy to pass the ball, though The U's are getting it forward quicker.
15.14 Crow sets Holroyd away on the right and he's brought down by Heckinbottom on the very edge of the box. Any closer in and it would have been a penalty. Courtney Pitt fires over the wall and over the bar from the set piece. Charles Ademeno has scored a four minute hattrick for Crawley at Grays.
15.11. Jai Reason dispossesses Somner in the middle, leading to Danny Crow's effort from just outside the box being saved into he body by Marriott.
15.09. Jack Eades puts CRC 1-0 up against Histon Reserves at The Abbey.
15.06. Willmott dances past three players and tees it off to Pitt, whose left footed effort is tipped wide for a corner by Marriott.
15.05 Jai Reason's attempted through ball is too heavy for anyone to run onto. Important game for him to make his claim to get back into the starting eleven.
15.03 Kyle Perry slashes wide when a loose ball falls to him from a throw in, but he misses from inside the six yard box
15:02. The game gets underway, each side defending the goals which their fans are sat behind.
14:57.The teams make their way onto the pitch. The U's are wearing a one off white and green strip, Mansfield in their traditional blue and white. Dan Gleeson is captain for the day.
14.56. The big team news is that there's no Brian Saah or Paul Carden in the United lineup. Rory McAuley and Jai Reason come into the team, and Josh Coulson comes in for the suspended Wayne Hatswell. Full lineups below.
14:55. Mansfield Town have only two wins from their past ten fixtures, and haven't won a league fixture at home since October 3rd. The U's only have two wins in eight, and the last time they won away in the league was way back in August when Chris Holroyd's hattrick saw off Chester 4-2
14:00. Welcome to Field Mill for this afternoon's league clash at Mansfield Town. Both sides are looking to bounce back from Boxing Day defeats, as our hosts fell 3-0 at York and Martin Ling's side lost 3-1 at home to Stevenage. Team news will follow shortly, and both sides will be forced into at least one change following red cards to Wayne Hatswell and Luke Jones on Saturday.
Matt Ramsay
Mansfield: Alan Marriott, Paul Heckinbottom, Scott Garner, Matt Somner, Rob Duffy (Louis Briscoe 62), Ryan Williams (Andy Burgess 90), Gary Silk, Lee Morris (Jake Speight 49), Kyle Perry, Oliver Hotchkiss, Michael Brough.
Unused Subs: Tim Sandercombe, Gary Mills.
CambridgeUnited: Potter, Tonkin, Gleeson (Coakley 69), Coulson (Beesley 77), McAuley, Ives, Reason, Willmott, Pitt, Holroyd, Crow.
Unused Subs: Walker, Parkinson, Marriott.
Referee: Mr R. West (Yorkshire)
Attendence: 3368
