SKY BET LEAGUE TWO

FOREST GREEN 2

MANSFILED TOWN 0

FOREST GREEN moved nine  points clear of the bottom two after a scintillating second-half display put a dent in Mansfield Town's play-off hopes.

Goals after the break for Reuben Reid and Dayle Grubb boosted Forest Green’s survival hopes as the Stags finished with 10 men following a second booking for Mansfield captain Kyrstian Pearce.

Rovers are now nine points clear of the bottom two, whilst Mansfield drop two places to seventh.  

With the season entering the final furlong and Forest Green looking nervously over their shoulders, boss Cooper made five changes to the team beaten 3-1 at relegation rivals Crewe Alexandra.

Rovers’ boss restored Chelsea loanee goalkeeper Brad Collins into the starting line-up as Dale Belford resumed bench warming duties after his debut at Crewe on Tuesday, Rovers’ third defeat on the spin.

Farrend Rawson (hip) failed a fitness test, his place going to the recalled Haydn Hollis alongside Gavin Gunning. A fully-fit Dan Wishart came in for Scott Laird at left-back in a rejigged back-four.

Midfielders Chris Clements and Charlie Cooper, subbed at half-time against Crewe, remained anchored to the bench, with right-winger Alex Bray and striker Tahvon Campbell both given opportunities to start from the get-go.

Meanwhile, top scorer Christian Doidge (ankle ligament) missed his fourth game on the trot.

Fifth-placed Mansfield started brightly in a frenetic opening, but the pace of Campbell kept the Stags occupied, the West Brom loanee inducing a foul and booking for Pearce. Campbell was at it again – feeding Grubb, who cut into the box to clip the top of the bar.

Osbourne saw yellow for a tug on Lee Angol and Dale Bennett for a barge on Kane Hemmings in a first-half devoid of quality or meaningful action.

Joe Byrom spanked one wide from 25 yards as a turgid first-half drew to a close.

The card count ticked on in the second-half, Mansfield’s Will Atkinson incurring a yellow for blocking Lee Collins.

The stalemate was almost broken when Campbell teed up Reuben Reid, but Conrad Logan was quickly off his line to smother.

Reid was on the scoresheet soon after. Grubb fed Osbourne and his cross was scuffed by Pearce for Reid to drill in a 55th-miunte opener. Rovers were rocking – Campbell’s buccaneering run ended by a Logan block.

Mansfield sub Ricky Miller became the fifth booking of the afternoon, leaving a foot in on Rovers’ keeper Brad Collins. Campbell saw the card count tick on.

Rovers were in gear, but Mansfield were still in the game - Miller flashed across the face of the goal from a breakaway.

Booking number seven saw Rovers’ Reid make it a busy day for the man in black.

With 14 minutes to go a flying glove denied Reid a second, Logan touching the ball over.

Seconds later Grubb fizzed in a sumptuous 77th-minute second – arrowing in from just inside the box for his 21st goal of the season and his fourth for Rovers since arriving in January.

Mansfield were reduced to 10 men – Pearce handed a second yellow with six minutes to go for a foul on Campbell.

Campbell almost made it three on 82 minutes – nodding over from an exquisite Reid cross.

Forest Green (4-4-2) B Collins; Bennett, Hollis, Gunning, Wishart; L Collins (Clements 90), Osbourne, Bray (Laird 85, Grubb; Reid, Campbell

Subs not used: Belford, Simpson, Clements, Cooper, Brown, Laird

Mansfield Town: Logan, Bennett, Benning, Pearce, MacDonald, Angol (Miller 60), Atkinson, White, Hemmings, Byrom (Spencer 78), Rose (Hamilton 4)

Subs not used: Olejnik, Digby, Anderson,  Kingr

Attendance: 2,827

Away fans: 430

Star Man: Reuben Reid.