Mansfield Town suffered a second successive 2-1 home defeat to a struggling side inside six days as they crashed again against Macclesfield Town at freezing Field Mill tonight.

Over 200 Stags fans gathered outside the ground before the game for a protest against club owner Keith Haslam, and those who went straight home may have ended the night glad that they did.

This display was a bit better than last Saturday's tame home surrender to Boston United and could all have been so different had Simon Brown put away a seventh minute one on one chance which was saved by visiting keeper Tommy Lee.
Lee made another good stop to deny Brown in a poor first half.

But just as Stags were enjoying their best spell of the game early in the second half, they were rattled by two Silkmen strikes inside 11 minutes.

John Mullins quickly pulled one back and sub Martin Gritton clipped the post. But there was no way back for Mansfield as Paul Ince's side took three vital points against relegation for their first win in five outings.

The Stags side showed three changes from that beaten by Boston United the previous weekend.
Jon Hjelde returned to central defence in place of the injured Jake Buxton (knee) while Nathan Arnold came in for on-loan Bryan Hodge, who was on Scottish U20 international duty.

Also, striker Gritton was dropped to the bench, midfielder Danny Sleath coming in for his full debut six says after his first ever appearance for the club as a second half substitute against Boston.

Gareth Jelleyman shook off an ankle injury to keep his place and Michael Boulding was on the bench after overcoming his groin strain.

But the depleted Stags were also without injured Danny Reet, Jon D'Laryea, Callum Lloyd and Giles Coke.

Mullins over-hit an early cross from an overlapping run while Hamshaw and Dawson wasted a free kick routine as Mansfield made a lively start.

Brown should have opened the scoring in the seventh minute as he caught the Silkmen's defence square to race clear. But Lee got enough of a touch on his finish to keep it out before a defender cleared and the chance was gone.

From a short corner Hamshaw fed Dawson for a low cross which Conlon hooked wide. Also a hurried 20 yard effort from Arnold was wide.

An accurate pass down the right from Mullins gave Arnold space to get over a cross which just evaded the incoming Brown as Mansfield continued to dominate.

It took Macclesfield 27 minutes to get a shot at goal as McIntyre's 15 yard bundled effort was easily gathered by White.
Soon after Murphy headed well wide from a left wing free kick.

Brown had another chance on 31 minutes, though from a tighter angle. Conlon seemed to get the slightest of flicks onto a big clearance which put Brown the other side of the defence on the right of the box.

He produced a rocket shot which looked on target and Lee had to parry it one-handed.

Murphy wanted a penalty as he went down under John-Baptiste's challenge but the big striker had been backing into the defender and play went on.

Hjelde was booked for persistent fouling on 37 minutes as a scrappy game began to drag. Jennings joined him two minutes later for a late tackle on Conlon in front of the dug-outs.

Hjelde was warned again for hauling McNeill down on the right three minutes from the break but, thankfully, the red card stayed in the referee's pocket.

In stoppage time Brown was wide of the near post as he turned just outside the box as Stags were booed off at half-time for the second week.

Benjamin replaced Jennings for the visitors for the second half and Macclesfield got in a couple of dangerous early crosses, the second from the sub after a good run down the left.

A deflected Arnold shot, from Sleath's pass, sailed across goal with Lee forced to punch away between Conlon and Brown.
From the corner Arnold had another shot deflect wide and on 52 minutes Dawson brought another great save out of Lee as he parried a vicious 18 yard blast.

But, just as Stags were looking like they were taking a grip, they fell behind on 54 minutes.

Sloppy defending allowed McNeill to set up Miles for a low finish from 10 yards and suddenly the strugglers unexpectedly had the bit between their teeth.

Gritton was sent on to replace Sleath on 59 minutes as Mansfield went three up front.

It took a good tackle from Mullins to deny Miles as he tried to make space to get away a finish in the box.

But things went from bad to worse as Macclesfield extended their lead on 65 minutes.

Muprhy's superb flick in the box set up Miles for a low shot that White did well to save with his legs. The ball ran loose to Miles again who, again got a low shot on target and was again foiled by White's legs.

But Mansfield's luck ran out as the loose ball this time was tucked away from close range by McNeill.

Conlon should have pulled one back within two minutes but headed well wide from six yards from Dawson's by-line cross.
Then Scott produced a great block to deny Brown.

But Mansfield were back in the hunt on 68 minutes from the second of two corners as Brown put it over and Mullins powered home a header.

Stags were buzzing at last and Conlon helped a high ball towards Brown who fired into the side netting.

On 74 minutes John-Baptiste almost levelled but was just wide of the near post after a scramble following a corner.
With 10 minutes left Gritton's header from Hamshaw's ball in clipped the base of the post.

But Macc came close again as Hadfield had a 12-yard shot deflect over and then White saved on the line from Swailes' header from the corner.

Miles had a decent shout for a penalty ignored after Arnold's challenge left him sprawled on the turf.

Michael Boulding came on for Arnold for the last seven minutes and then brother Rory joined the action in place of Hjelde as Mansfield went for one last push.

They forced two more corners and Brown twice wasted crossing opportunities as four minutes of stoppage time were signalled.

That was up when a Hamshaw free kick was headed away and that proved to be the last chance.