Mansfield Town beat Lincoln City 2-1 at Field Mill on Saturday afternoon, a result that reflected their greater control through the second half despite a tighter opening period.
Lincoln made the stronger start and went ahead through Kyle Knoyle on 17 minutes, a lead they carried into the break after Ivan Varfolomeev extended it to 2-0 with a goal on 38 minutes. Robert Street added a third for the visitors before half-time, and Mansfield faced a considerable task at the interval.
The home side responded with purpose after the restart. Tyler Roberts pulled one back on 65 minutes, and Ryan Oné followed up with a goal on 71 minutes to reduce the deficit further. The substitutions around that period, with Ryley Towler and Dom Jefferies introduced on 71 minutes, helped Mansfield press higher and unsettle Lincoln's defensive shape.
Tom Bayliss scored on 78 minutes to level the match, and with Lincoln visibly tiring, Mansfield continued to press. Tendayi Darikwa and George Abbott came on as Mansfield sought the winner, and the late pressure eventually told when Bayliss scored again in stoppage time to complete the turnaround and seal a 2-1 victory on the scoreline provided.
Lincoln will reflect on a second half in which they surrendered total control of a match they had managed well before the break. Mansfield's persistence and the impact of their bench ultimately decided it.
Recap generated from the event timeline. Editorial team review by request. How we use AI.
