Mansfield Town 1, Crawley Town 4: Stunning away form continues as Reds hammer title chasing Stags

Reds made it 21 points from the last nine away games with the victory, thanks to goals from Kellan Gordon, Nick Tsaroulla, Danilo Orsi and Klaidi Lolos – making it eight goals in two away games with eight different scorers.

Scott Lindsey stuck to the same side who hammered Newport County 4-0 on Saturday while Mansfield Town made two changes to the side who lost 2-0 to fellow title chasers Wrexham.

Reds have made a habit of scoring early in recent weeks and they had two good chances before three minutes. Firstly, a neat lay off by Klaidi Lolos set up Danilo Orsi but his shot from 20 yards went wide. Then seconds later Lolos fired wide from almost exactly the same position.

But a minute later, they did score. Nick Tsaroulla sent in a cross from the left. Lolos couldn’t quite get control of it, but the fell kindly to Kellan Gordon, who fired home low to the keeper’s right.

It was the perfect start but it should have been 1-1 three minutes later when Corey Addai took a short goal kick to Dion Conroy. The Reds skipper inexplicably passed the ball straight to League Two Player of the Year nominee Davis Keillor-Dunn, who has already notched up 19 goals this season. But somehow the Stags star skied well over with the goal at his mercy. It was a huge let off for the visitors.

Mansfield looked nervy and gave the ball away regularly and one mistake led to Tsaroulla breaking into the box and laying off to Jeremy Kelly, but the American’s hot was saved easily by Christy Pym.

The Stags started to settle and began to look dangerous and Addai did well to save low to his right from Ollie Clarke’s low drive from 20 yards. Gordon then snuck behind the home defence after a quick throw-in from Will Wright, but his cross was blocked for a corner.

It was an action-packed opening 20 minutes.

Crawley looked the more comfortable on the ball and on 25 minutes they deservedly took extended the lead, and what a goal it was.

Wright dinked the ball forward to Lolos, whose brilliant touch allowed Darcy to t run clear to edge of the box before passing to Tsaroulla. He cut back onto his right foot and produced a glorious curling finish to make it 2-0.

Lucas Akins should have pulled one back moments later but he hit side netting from close range when he should have at least hit the target. Will Swan then got in the way of Clarke’s goal-bound effort.

Wright was booked for foul on edge of the area right on half-time.

It was a calmer start in the second half but Swan and Jordan Bowery both had early chances early before Darcy flashed a shot across Pym’s goal.

Darcy and Williams were outstanding all game and it was the latter who drove forward to create Crawley’s third. He ran from half way line before laying off to Tsaroulla. He crossed and ball found Lolos.

He couldn’t get a shot away but passed back to Tsaroulla, his cross found Orsi unbelievbly unmarked six yards out. Reds’ top scorer mis-controlled but had time to turn and fire home to effectively seal the match. It was atrocious defending from the home side and it got worse for them just minutes later when Lolos, who found so much room all game, drove into the box and fired past Pym with aplomb.

The 206 traveling Reds fans were in absolute dreamland. Lindsey then replaced Williams with Liam Kelly before the Stags made five changes, including bringing on former Red Tom Nichols, who should have done better with a free header.

Adam Campbell and Ade Adeyemo then came on to replace Gordon and Orsi with 25 minutes left. It was Campbell who nearly made it five on 71 minutes but his effort from the edge of the area just trickled wide.

The home side were playing for pride now and sub George Maris forced a good low save from Addai.

Joy Mukena and Jack Roles then replaced Wright and Darcy as Lindsey rested some legs with the game won.

With ten minutes to go, Hiram Boateng pulled one back, firing into the roof of the net from 15 yards. But any thoughts of a fightback never happened, even with five added minutes, as Reds controlled the ball well and nullified any threat from the home side.

With the way other results went, Reds finished the day still in seventh but three points clear of eighth with two games in hand.

Lindsey’s men travel to Wrexham on Tuesday night.