Wrexham defeated Mansfield for the third time this season after the Stags left empty handed following a hugely disappointing afternoon at the Racecourse Ground.

It will be a match which the Stags will want to forget quickly as they prepare for a busy end of season schedule.

The match exploded into life within the first minute when Paul Mayo fell to the floor following a strong aerial challenge from Wrexham's Silvia Spann.  The referee soon brandished a yellow card in the direction of Spann.

But he made ammends by turning from yellow card recipient to penalty winner after Stags fell behind in the ninth minute.

Spann swept in a cross from the right and from close range defender Scott Garner was deemed to have handled as the ball came into the box.  It seemed a very harsh decision bearing in mind the ball being crossed with such force.

Obi Anoruo slammed the resulting spot kick straight down the middle to give the Weleshmen the upper hand.

Wrexham doubled their lead on 25 minutes.  John Curtis crossed from the right and Andy Croft headed home at the far post to extend the lead.

Soon after Stags conceded the second, manager David Holdsworth brought on Daryl Clare and changed the formation from 4-3-3 to 4-4-2.

The first half was dominated by the home side but Stags did have opportunities to get on the scoresheet.With eight minutes of the half remaining, goalkeeper Gunnar Neilsen fumbled the ball in mid air following a corner, and it may have landed anywhere, but Wrexham eventually cleared.

Scott Garner then had a goal disallowed a minute later.  Nathan Arnold whipped a cross in from the right and the young defender rose well inside the area to connect and head home, but his celebrations were short lived when he looked across to see the linesmen with his flag held high.

The hosts ended the half with a curling shot from Andy Fleming from 20 yards which flew wide of Alan Marriott's left hand post.

It was a forgettable first half for the Stags but things did marginally improve in the second period.

Ryan Williams was replaced by Louis Briscoe less than ten minutes into the second period/  .And then burly forward, who turned 21 in mid week looked lively in spells and was one of the few positives from a drab contest between these two old Football League companions.

It was Briscoe who tested the home goalkeeper for te first time in the match with 15 minutes remaining.  He picked up the ball 20 yards from goal and unleashed a powerful drive which Gunnar Neilsen had to dive to his left to save.

Nathan Arnold showed a couple of decent runs in the second period but his crosses came to nothing.

The game faded away into oblivion and became a non-spectacle, with both sides seemingly refusing to put their foot on the pedal.

Manager David Holdsworth described the performance as useless in his post match interview and his side will have to turn up the heat if they are to emerge victorious on Tuesday night at home to Ebbsfleet.