Mansfield move third with impressive win

Posted Thursday, December 27, 2018 by PA

Mansfield burst into the top three of League Two for the first time after a dominant second half saw them beat promotion rivals Bury 2-1.

CJ Hamilton made the breakthrough on the hour mark before Tyler Walker sealed it from the spot with his 15th goal of the season, with Jay O’Shea replying with a last-gasp penalty for the Shakers.

The Stags are now 15 league games unbeaten, though Bury ran the show early on and Conrad Logan had to make saves from Eoghan O’Connell and Caolan Lavery.

But the home side finally settled and Joe Murphy had to smother close-range efforts from Walker and Hamilton.

O’Connell headed against his own bar after 48 minutes in trying to clear a Hamilton cross.

Mansfield finally grabbed a deserved lead in the 61st minute as Jacob Mellis floated a brilliant pass down the centre and after Hamilton’s first shot was blocked by Murphy, he nodded home at the second attempt with the goalkeeper helpless.

Walker then coolly finished from the spot after the referee spotted a push on Ryan Sweeney from a corner.

Bury bagged a consolation in the sixth added minute from the spot as O’Shea punished Matt Preston for bringing down Nicky Maynard.