Mansfield Town

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Kyle Perry

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Mansfield 2-1 Cambridge

Mansfield's position in the play-off zone was further cemented when goals from Jake Speight and Kyle Perry saw the Stags record a 2-1 victory over Cambridge United.

Chris Holroyd got on the scoresheet for the U's, but it was not enough to stop the hosts from recording their first win in five games at Field Mill.

Mansfield should have gone in front just over a minute into the clash, but Perry failed to control the height of his shot after Rob Duffy flicked on Paul Heckingbottom's throw.

Courtney Pitt nearly made the Stags pay for that miss moments later, but goalkeeper Alan Marriott made a brilliant save to his left and tipped the effort around the post.

Both side's looked good on the ball, but failed to really threaten in the final third until the 27th minute.

Ryan Williams, who donned the captain's armband, interchanged some slick passes with Gary Silk, before finding Perry on the near post. The forward volleyed home at the near post to net his tenth goal of the season.

Cambridge pushed for the equaliser and were rewarded when Anthony Tonkin's cross from the left was finished off by Holroyd, three minutes before the interval.

After the break, the visitors nearly grabbed the lead, but Holroyd couldn't get his shot away after meeting Robbie Willmott's free kick.

Williams found the back of the net for the Stags, but his goal was ruled offside. Speight, who once again proved to be a super sub made it count when he stuck the ball beyond U's stopper Danny Potter in the 73rd minute with a left-foot finish.

Mansfield bookings: Speight, Heckingbottom, Williams, Briscoe

Cambridge bookings: Pitt

Att: 3368

Ref: Richard West