Stags had hoped to make capital over the weekend as they knew six points against London clubs Leyton Orient and Barnet would keep their faint Play-offs hopes alive.

Instead they suffered two defeats, Liam Hatch's decisive 10th minute strike sealing victory in the Easter Monday sunshine at Underhill.
But it was the performance of Cambridgeshire referee Kevin Wright that was the main talking point.
He dismissed Giles Coke for his second yellow card before causing uproar by sending off Danny Reet for what looked a tough but fair challenge on Nicky Bailey just 15 minutes after Reet had come on as a second half sub.
Mansfield manager Peter Shirtliff confirmed afterwards he was considering an appeal against Reet's straight red as, if upheld, that card will rule him out for the rest of the season.
"I thought Giles Coke's first booking was strange to say what had gone on before and not one yellow card had been shown," he said.
"Barnet tried to beat us up and the referee should have got a grip on the game.
"I could see a caution in Coke's second so then he has to go. But the first was dubious at best.
"The second half became a farce with some strange decisions, particularly the Danny Reet one.
"He came in from the side and was perfectly entitled to go for the ball. Even Andy Hessenthaler came up to me afterwards and said it wasn't even a free kick, never mind a sending-off.
"I have spoken to the referee and he assures me that if I go through the proper channels he will have another look at it. I will see the video tomorrow and make a decision.
"I thought we played quite well with 10 and nine men and battled manfully. We almost got an equaliser in the end.
"To be trailing 1-0 at half-time was a difficult scoreline to accept with some of the situations we had been in and not produced anything of quality at the end.
"We had opportunities we should have scored from but things just fizzled out. It was a poor game and I suppose 1-0 was always going to win it."

The Stags starting line-up showed two changes from the side beaten by Leyton Orient with Allan Russell replacing Reet up front while Stephen Dawson took over from Gus Uhlenbeek on the right of midfield.
Stags lost super sub Simon Brown's services after his stomach hernia proved too sore to be involved after Saturday.
Stage kicked off down the famous Underhill slope and began the afternoon with great purpose.
Veteran Paul Warhurst's outstretched leg denied Russell from reaching Jake Buxton's through ball and then Dawson's cross was just too high for an unmarked Coke.

Barnet broke down the centre with Kandol drawing two defenders before rolling a pass to Sinclair who pulled his shot wide.
However, the home side did find an unexpected breakthrough after only 10 minutes.
Barnet's second corner was headed clear as far as Hatch 14 yards from goal and he drilled a superb finish through a crowded box and past a helpless Kevin Pressman.
Hatch went on to be the home side's outstanding performer, though Stags often gave him too much space at the far post when the balls were pumped in.

However, the visitors almost produced an immediate reply as Jon D'Laryea slipped a great pass through the home defence into the path of Adam Rundle only to see keeper Flitney down well at the winger's feet as he tried to go round him.
Stags won two corners with Wilson having a shot charged down from the second of them.
But the Evertonian was well placed at the other end soon after to clear in front of his goal line after Bailey had picked out Hatch at the far post.
A repeat ball to Hatch again saw him again get the ball on target and Alex John-Baptiste was relieved to see the ball go wide after his clearance struck Sinclair and flew back towards his goal.

There was more danger from Hatch on 33 minutes as, with Pressman having left his line, he got a head onto Bailey's free kick but watched the ball sail wide of the gaping goal.

Mansfield were almost level a minute later. Russell beat Flitney to a bouncing spinning ball and helped it past him towards goal. Hessenthaler and Dawson both dived in and the ball rolled even closer the empty net before Charles appeared to clear off the line.
Stags had a massive let-off just before the break when John-Baptiste headed the ball goalwards as Pressman came to gather and Hatch stole in to beat Pressman and net.

However, the referee had spotted a Hatch handball and his goal celebrations were cut short by a yellow card!
The referee had a queue of players waiting for him at half-time as Hatch, home skipper Ian Hendon and Stags skipper Richie Barker challenged him about his decisions.

Coke needed lengthy treatment after the break after a nasty collision with Bailey soon after the break. But worse was to come for the Stags youngster.
Fuller had just gone in hard with Barker and then leapt into a second challenge on Coke (one that looked far worse than Reet's).
Coke reacted angrily and players from both sides ran in. The referee decided Fuller was only deserving of a yellow but Coke, who had already been booked, was shown a second yellow and subsequent red for his retaliation.
Shirtliff quickly sent on Reet and Lloyd for Russell and Rundle.

But Reet's contribution was to last just 15 minutes before he too was red-carded.
He went into a fierce challenge to prevent Bailey clearing which looked tough but fair and he even seemed to have got the ball.
The referee thought otherwise and, despite more lengthy protests from the visitors, they were down to nine men.
Barker almost found an equaliser on 76 minutes as Buxton did well to get in a near post cross that saw Barker, Flitney and Warhurst all collide in a tangle and the ball bobble just wide of the open goal.
With the nine men pouring forward, Barnet almost sealed it on 78 minutes as Hatch's flick saw Bailey outpace Jon Hjelde but send his finish against the foot of the post with Pressman beaten.

King was just too high with a dipping shot. Then Kandol could not direct a header onto an open goal after Sinclair had robbed Pressman and crossed as the keeper raced to the left hand edge of his box to kick clear John-Baptiste's backpass, but tried to beat the Barnet man instead.
Fuller also had a volley deflect just wide as the visitors creaked.
Nevertheless, the Stags really should have been level a minute from time. Buxton's cross found Barker unmarked six yards from goal yet he steered his header wide of goal.

Batt's poor shot at Pressman in the fifth minute of stoppage time was the final action as the whistle saw angry Stags players and assistant boss Paul Holland surround the referee.

But it mattered little as the Play-off dream finally died and summer beckoned with three games still to go.

 

Referee: Mr K Wright