Cambridge United's grip on second place was tightened in a few decisive seconds tonight as Jai Reason's first goal for the club sealed a stoppage time win for the U's against Mansfield, while Histon lost to a stoppage time goal at Barrow, extending the gap between the clubs to four points.
United fell behind in the first half to a headed goal by Rob Duffy, who had a brief spell here in 2005, but - as on Saturday against Burton - United turned in a scintillating second half display and Scott Rendell and Reason scored the vital goals against a defence only breached twice in their last nine games.
Reflecting on an hard-fought win that extended United's unbeaten streak to nine games, Gary Brabin said, "I said in my programme notes for the original date this game should have been played, and I've repeated myself again this week, this was never going to be an easy game.
"Mansfield are on a good run, they don't concede many goals, they shut up shop and they've had a lot of one-nil wins, and if they have been beaten it's only been by one-nil, so we were expecting a tough game. We've done well of late and with that comes the expectancy, and I felt that a bit in the first half.
"We were a little bit below par but I thought the fans were fantastic and they kept behind us, and in the second half I thought we were outstanding."
Explaining why his team may have looked off the pace in the first half, compared to the way they finished against Burton on Saturday, the U's boss added, "It's hard to carry on where you left off. Even the best teams in the world take a bit of time to get going and the lads have worked so hard - I can't credit them enough for the way they've worked lately.
"We knew it wasn't just going to happen, we knew we'd have to work hard to get the tempo of the game right, and I felt like Mansfield controlled the tempo of the game in the first half while we fell below the standards we've set in the past few weeks.
"But in the second half I thought that was more like us," he added. "I thought we were outstanding and I thought we footballed them to death. We looked fitter, stronger and I'm absolutely made up and proud of their performance in the second half."
Robbie Willmott impressed again tonight. After scoring a cool goal on Saturday, his beautifully flighted cross set up the equaliser for Scott Rendell early in the second half against Mansfield, and Brabin felt he and fellow winger Courtney Pitt were much improved after the break.
"In the first half I don't think Robbie and Pitty on the other side were doing the things we're good at. But in the second half we did - we were moving the ball quicker, we were on the front foot a bit more, and if we hadn't won tonight it would have been an injustice."
Chris Holroyd had to be withdrawn with blood gushing from his nose in the second half, while fellow striker and recent signing Lee Phillips missed his second game with a slight hamstring problem, and Brabin commented, "We thought we'd had our bad luck with injuries, certainly before Christmas. We've had a few people coming back and seen other teams hit by big suspensions and injuries, and we thought maybe it was our turn but we still seem to be getting our share of injuries.
"But we've got a great squad of players here and I'm just proud of every one of them at the moment."
Courtney Pitt looked unlikely to finish the game as he was hobbling badly just before half-time, but he recovered to play his part in the second half comeback and was unlucky to be denied a penalty.
"I think I want people to boot him more often because he responds to that!" Brabin joked. "He was one of our main culprits in the first half but I keep believing in Courtney. He probably thinks I pick on him but I do believe in him I thought in the second half he was brilliant."
The gaffer also praised Jai Reason, who celebrated today's extension of his loan from Ipswich Town by scoring that stoppage time winning goal.
"Jai is another one who was below par in the first half, but again in the second half he was instrumental in our play," he commented, before turning to Saturday's match at home to fifth-from-bottom Northwich Victoria.
"We certainly won't be taking them lightly," he stressed. "They've got new management and everyone I've spoken to says they've done well. They've had some good results against good teams and they've been unlucky against the ones who have beaten them.
"We don't take anyone lightly but we just have to carry on this momentum that we have at the moment and hopefully take it into Saturday."
With Histon losing at Barrow and Burton not in action until Wednesday evening at Ebbsfleet, United are eight points behind the leaders and four points clear of Histon, although both clubs have three games in hand.
United are in action again at home to Northwich Victoria on Saturday, kick-off 3pm.
[Match report] [Fixture list] [League table]
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