Saturday 27 February 2021 18:32, UK
Jordan Bowery's first-half goal earned Mansfield a valuable 1-0 home win and prevented high-flying Morecambe from closing the gap on the automatic promotion places in League Two.
The result also ended a run of three successive defeats and no wins in five for Nigel Clough's men.
Jamie Reid wasted a golden chance to give Stags a third-minute lead as Morecambe goalkeeper Kyle Letheren parried a powerful Bowery shot and, following up, Reid headed over unchallenged from six yards.
Stags dominated and Mal Benning's deflected free-kick was saved while Ollie Clarke and Reid missed the target.
The breakthrough finally came after 41 minutes as Stephen Quinn sent in a low cross from the left by-line and Bowery turned it home first time at the near post.
Quinn blazed over from a Jason Law pass soon after as Mansfield looked to build on their lead.
The closest Morecambe came was when Toumani Diagouraga's shot deflected over for a corner after 18 minutes.
A poor second half saw few chances as the visitors, who came into the match chasing a third successive win, failed to force a single save out of home keeper Aidan Stone all afternoon.
Substitute AJ Leitch-Smith could have levelled two minutes into added time but completely missed his kick in front of goal from Carlos Mendes Gomes' lofted pass.
