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>> SLIDESHOW: Mansfield 1 – 3 Chester
>> Let's push on says Bobby Williamson


Any thoughts of a managerial casualty and another depressing away day were placed firmly on the backburner as City hit back in style to claim three vital points.

John Mullins had put Mansfield in front with a header on the stroke of half-time, but a Tony Dinning penalty and two goals from Kevin Ellison completed a stylish comeback from the Blues.

Blues boss Bobby Williamson made just one change to the side that had suffered a 1-0 home defeat against Notts County the previous week.
Left-sided midfielder Ellison returned to the starting line-up in place of Craig Lindfield who had completed his one month loan deal and had returned to Liverpool.

Mansfield produced an explosive start to the proceedings when they creating a scoring chance within the opening minute.

Jonathan D'Laryea saw his shot saved by City keeper John Danby who then saw a Jefferson Louis effort cleared off the line by James Vaughan before Michael Boulding's pass picked out Stephen Dawson whose first time shot flew over the bar.

Chester attempted to hit back, but Mark Hughes failed to connect with a 12th minute pass from Tony Dinning, and Kevin Roberts' one on one with home keeper Carl Muggleton was screwed wide from 18 yards.

Richie Partridge failed to properly connect with a left wing cross from Ellison in the 21st minute, and John Murphy couldn't turn home a back post effort from Hughes' 29th minute corner.

Hughes created City's next opportunity from a 38th minute corner, but Murphy miss-controlled and the ball ran to Partridge whose cross rebounded out of play off left back, Gareth Jelleyman.

Mansfield responded in the 40th minute when Boulding beat Danby on the edge of the City box to a long ball from Muggleton, but the ball bounced wide of the target.

Matt Hawshaw produced an overhead kick from Louis' touch which Danby gratefully accepted from 10 yards.

And Mansfield continued to retain possession when Will Atkinson's throughall ran into the path of Hamshaw, but the midfielder was unlucky to see the ball bobble before he connected and his effort was sprayed wide.

Mullins provided a timely boost for the Stags on the stroke of half-time with a pinpoint unchallenged header from Hamshaw's corner on the right.

The goal was a blow for City and Williamson made a change to his line-up before the restart, deciding to replace club captain, Paul Butler, with substitute Chris Holroyd.

The change provided another attacking option for City and encouraged wingers Partridge and Ellison to push forward and create opportunities.

Partridge illustrated his determination to venture forward just three minutes into the second half when he jinked beyond two defenders and drilled a low shot into the sidenetting.

And Partridge's vision and quality cross in the 57th minute picked out Ellison who steered a superb header into the corner of the net to level matters.

Mansfield countered twice in a bid to regain a one-goal cushion, but Stephen Dawson's 20-yard strike on the hour flew over the bar, and Dawson's cross three minutes later deflected goalwards before being cleared off the line by Linwood.

But Chester looked a far better cohesive unit and grew in confidence as the match progressed, exemplified in the 72nd minute when Linwood's presence in the Stags box saw home striker Jefferson Louis panic and blatantly foul the City centre back, prompting the referee to immediately award a penalty.

Tony Dinning looked determined to play his role in the City revival routine, grabbing the ball, placing it on the spot, and calmly stroking the ball into the bottom right corner of the net.

Murphy saw a headed goal ruled out for a pushing offence three minutes later as Chester continued to dictate the tempo of the contest.

And Hughes' 78th minute shot from a Partridge cross whistled over the bar.

Boulding countered for Mansfield in the 81st minute when his looping header dipped inches over the bar from 10 yards.

But the Blues soon regained the initiative when Murphy's header from Partridge's free kick was saved by Muggleton.

The home side, who were aiming to avoid a seventh straight home defeat, had Louis unleash a 25 yard drive over the bar five minutes from time, and Hawshaw's angled effort a minute later hit the outside of the right post.

But it was Chester who fittingly provided the last word when Ellison curled a precision shot from the right edge of the box into the bottom left corner of the net three minutes into stoppage time.