Mansfield Town blow big chance to go top of the table after defeat at Walsall

The promotion-chasing Stags put a club record-equalling nine goals past Harrogate Town on Tuesday night.

But today they failed to take advantage of league leaders Stockport County’s shock defeat at Tranmere as their three-game winning streak came to an untimely end.

Stephen Quinn quickly cancelled out Jamille Matt’s opener, but substitute Emmauel Adegboyega came off the bench to end the Saddlers’ five-game winless run.

Boss Nigel Clough made a trio of changes as Ollie Clarke, George Maris and Will Swan replaced Hiram Boateng, Davis Keillor-Dunn and Tom Nichols.

The hosts had the first real chance of the contest as Jack Earing struck a half-volley at Christy Pym.

Down the other end, Swan squandered a big opportunity to open the scoring when he fired wide when one-on-one with Jackson Smith on 17 minutes.

Quinn went close when he got on the end of Jordan Bowery’s inviting cross to head wide at the back post on a minute later.

Josh Gordon, Barrow’s top scorer last season, then nodded over from a glaring chance.

The Stags were frustrated by Smith later in the half as he kept out Swan before an even better stop to beat away Baily Cargill’s powerful strike.

Swan again missed a good chance just before the break while Aden Flint felt his close range finish was over the line but play was waved on.

And the game sprung into life after the break as Clough’s charges were caught napping shortly following the restart.

Matt raced onto Isaac Hutchinson’s pinpoint cross to head home the opener after 47 minutes.

But the lead barely lasted a blink of an eye before the visitors restored parity.

It was as if going behind woke them up as half-time substitute Boating slipped Quinn through to cooly level.

The hosts could have quickly regained the lead through another fine Hutchinson delivery, only for Gordon to head wide.

However, substitute Adegboyega headed the hosts back in front when he rose highest to power Hutchinson’s corner beyond Pym in the 65th minute.

And moments later Pym kept the deficit at just the one when he denied Gordon with a magnificent save at the near post.

Clough threw the kitchen sink with a triple change late on.

And they huffed and puffed but failed to rescue a point as the Saddlers held on.

A chance fell to the unusually dependable Davis Keillor-Dunn, but he was denied by a brilliant Smith save.

Akins was kept out by an even better Smith stop in six frantic minutes of stoppage time and Aden Flint failed to turn the rebound in as Stags lost for only the fourth time in the league this season and stay second.

WALSALL: Smith, Okagbue, Farquharson (Adegboyega, 45), Allen, Knowles, Hutchinson, Comley, Earing (Stirk, 90), L.Gordon, Matt (Faal, 90), J.Gordon (Tierney, 77). SUBS NOT USED: Evans, Oteh, James-Taylor.

STAGS: Pym, Bowery, Flint, Brunt, Cargill (McLaughlin, 78), Clarke (Boateng, 45), Reed, Quinn (Lewis, 70), Maris (Nichols, 78), Swan (Keillor-Dunn, 78), Akins. SUBS NOT USED: Flinders, Williams.

ATTENDANCE: 6,645 (1,637 away).

REFEREE: Thomas Parsons.