Mansfield move back into top three with victory over Forest Green

Mansfield won for the first time in four games to climb back into the top three in Sky Bet League Two with a narrow 1-0 home win over bottom side Forest Green.

Rovers were forced to defend for long periods in the first half and goalkeeper Vicente Reyes saved a low George Maris shot and superbly turned away a Davis Keillor-Dunn effort after 19 minutes.

But a minute later Hiram Boateng floated a cross to the far post where Tom Nichols was able to loop a header over Reyes and make the breakthrough.

Mansfield continued to press and Maris saw Richard Keogh block a low shot and then sent another effort at Reyes on the turn.

Home goalkeeper Christy Pym finally had work to do on the stroke of half-time as he clawed away a Charlie McCann free-kick from a narrow angle from under his crossbar.

Reyes had to parry a powerful Nichols shot in the 50th minute and 11 minutes later Keillor-Dunn curled inches over after a great touch by Boateng in the box.

Pym made a great double save to deny Rovers an unlikely equaliser from a break with three minutes remaining as he blocked Emmanuel Osadebe’s attempt and Kyle McAllister’s follow-up as the battling visitors lost for a fifth time in six outings.