Mansfield Town 3 - 2 Dagenham and Redbridge: Mansfield edge Dagenham in five-goal thriller

Posted Sunday, February 21, 2016 by PA

Mansfield clung on to a 3-2 home win over bottom club Dagenham with 10 men in a thrilling finish at One Call Stadium.

Mansfield had the better of the first half, but they went in trailing to Oliver Hawkins' 42nd-minute goal after being caught out by a swift Dagenham counter-attack.

After a Stags attack fizzled out, the ball was quickly worked to Joe Widdowson on the left who crossed hard and low to the far post for a simple tap-in for Hawkins.

Stags were level nine minutes into the second half as Ryan Tafazolli flicked on a Malvind Benning free-kick from the left and Blair crashed the ball home on the half-volley off the inside of the right post.

Seven minutes later birthday boy substitute Adi Yussuf raced away on to a Chris Clements through ball before slotting home a confident low finish to give the hosts the lead.

But with eight minutes left Krystian Pearce was sent off for hauling down sub Jamie Cureton, only for Cureton to lash the spot-kick high and wide.

Stags looked the have wrapped it up in the 84th minute as Matty Blair set up Matt Green on the counter for a cool low finish, but three minutes later Cureton stole in to score from close range from a byline pull back at the near post to set up a grandstand finish.