Mansfield Town slipped to only their fifth league defeat of the season as fellow promotion hopefuls MK Dons came from behind to earn a 2-1 win at One Call Stadium.
Stags raced into a 15th minute lead as veteran midfielder Stephen Quinn coolly slotted home after MK goalkeeper Michael Kelly had saved a penalty and then the rebound from striker Lucas Akins.
But a well-organised Dons rallied to strike in either half as goals from Alex Gilbey and Matthew Dennis were enough to claim the points.
Five changes were made from the lineup in Saturday’s hard-fought 1-0 win at Newport County.
Jordan Bowery replaced George Williams at right-back.
Stephen Quinn and Aaron Lewis were introduced to midfield whilst George Maris and Tom Nichols made way for Lucas Akins and Will Swan.
Hiram Boateng and Ollie Clarke were also amongst the seven-man substitutes.
The visitors carved out the game’s first meaningful chance in the ninth minute when Kyran Lofthouse cut infield from the touchline to charge forward before firing wide inside the box.
Less than a minute later, Stags tested Dons’ goalkeeper Michael Kelly as Davis Keillor-Dunn threaded through to Akins, but his left-footed strike from 15 yards was comfortably claimed.
The encounter exploded into life as Stags were awarded a penalty kick in the 14th minute after Quinn’s cross was handled by MJ Williams inside the area.
And despite the heroics of Kelly in goal, Stags took the advantage.
Akins’ right-footed strike was pushed away by the goalkeeper diving to his left. And the same man was again denied from the rebound as Kelly showed great reflexes to scramble back across his goal line to palm it aside. But he could do little about the third attempt as Quinn raced in to the goal area and place it home at the near post.
But the Dons were back on level terms five minutes later.
Lewis Brunt’s attempted headed clearance fell fortuitously into the path of Alex Gilbey who advanced through the middle to send a blistering effort into the corner of the net.
On 25 minutes, MK’s Dan Kemp lashed low on the edge of the box to earn the game’s first corner via a deflection.
Stags had a real opportunity to restore their lead on 29 minutes.
Quinn delivered from the left and Akins’ effort looped up in the air which enabled Kelly to claim.
A minute later, Lewis sent an equally-inviting ball across the face of goal and Keillor-Dunn would have surely converted at the back stick but for Payne’s last-ditch touch to turn it behind for a corner.
Stags began to apply pressure and a rising Cargill nodded behind at the back post from Quinn’s left-flank free-kick.
MK were living dangerously and Matthew Dennis was well-positioned to clear off the goalline after giant defender Aden Flint headed goalwards from Quinn’s inswinging corner.
At the other end Dennis should have hit the target as a deflected cross drifted welcomingly into the air, but he headed wide from ten yards.
Stags had another chance from a corner and this time Flint’s header was claimed by a quick-footed Kelly who raced across his line to claim at his top-left corner.
In stoppage time at the end of the half, Baily Cargill was dispossessed and momentarily shown the game’s first yellow card for clipping the heels of an advancing Kyran Lofthouse.
Two minutes into the second-half, MK’s Joe Tomlinson directed a crashing effort into the side netting and on 49 minutes Mansfield had another golden opportunity to take the advantage as Kelly got down well again to push away Keillor-Dunn’s attempt inside the area.
But it was MK Dons who took the upper hand on 54 minutes.
Dennis curled right-footed from the edge of the box and the shot deceived a helpless Christy Pym with the wicked aid of a deflection.
Mansfield gave away possession in midfield just shy of the hour and the Dons almost added another but Kemp’s wild strike on the right of the box flew into the North Stand.
Quinn struck from distance into the hands of Kelly before Stags made a treble change on 61 minutes.
Stephen McLaughlin, Ollie Clarke and Tom Nichols climbed off the bench to replace Cargill, Lewis and Swan.
In the same stoppage, the Dons made a double substitution and nine minutes later Stags did likewise as George Maris and Hiram Boateng were introduced for Stephen Quinn and Lucas Akins.
The game entered a lull before Stags had three strikes blocked in quick succession inside the area on 81 minutes as Boateng hit twice and Clarke too saw his shot denied.
Clarke again tried his luck, this time from outside the area, but his low drilled attempt was straight at Kelly.
MK made another two changes and soon after play resumed on 85 minutes Boateng was carded for a pull.
MK Dons looked to seal the victory but Pym produced a fine stop to push behind Gilbey’s attempt from inside the box.
And despite five minutes of stoppage time added on, Mansfield were unable to find a way through.
STAGS: Pym, Bowery, Flint, Brunt, Cargill (McLaughlin 61) Reed, Lewis (Clarke 61, Quinn (Boateng 70), Keillor-Dunn, Akins (Maris 70), Swan (Nichols 61)
UNUSED SUBS: Flinders, Williams
MK DONS: Kelly, O'Hora, Williams (Norman 84), Gilbey, Payne (Robson 84), Tomlinson, Harvey, Kemp (Tezgel 61), Lofthouse, Dennis (Harrison 61), Bate
SUBS NOT USED: Harness, Lewington, Tripp
REFEREE: Lee Swabey
ATTENDANCE: 7,414 (370 MK Dons’ supporters)
