Mansfield move back into top three with victory over Forest Green![Copy icon](/ls-web-assets/svgs/common/link-38b6c0e79d99f1789ecdee667813501e.svg)
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![Tom Nichols scored the winner for Mansfield (Steven Paston/PA)](https://image.assets.pressassociation.io/v2/image/production/66adacc46951e1bfaa246418d84b1b0dY29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNzEyNzgyMTAz/2.73279488.jpg?rect=79,116,1513,851&ext=.jpg&operations=fit(707:)&w=707&quality=100)
Mansfield won for the first time in four games to climb back into the top three in Sky Bet League Two with a narrow 1-0 home win over bottom side Forest Green.
Rovers were forced to defend for long periods in the first half and goalkeeper Vicente Reyes saved a low George Maris shot and superbly turned away a Davis Keillor-Dunn effort after 19 minutes.
But a minute later Hiram Boateng floated a cross to the far post where Tom Nichols was able to loop a header over Reyes and make the breakthrough.
Mansfield continued to press and Maris saw Richard Keogh block a low shot and then sent another effort at Reyes on the turn.
Home goalkeeper Christy Pym finally had work to do on the stroke of half-time as he clawed away a Charlie McCann free-kick from a narrow angle from under his crossbar.
Reyes had to parry a powerful Nichols shot in the 50th minute and 11 minutes later Keillor-Dunn curled inches over after a great touch by Boateng in the box.
Pym made a great double save to deny Rovers an unlikely equaliser from a break with three minutes remaining as he blocked Emmanuel Osadebe’s attempt and Kyle McAllister’s follow-up as the battling visitors lost for a fifth time in six outings.