Jordan Bowery’s first-half goal earned Mansfield a valuable 1-0 home win and prevented high-flying Morecambe from closing the gap on the automatic promotion places in League Two.

The result also ended a run of three successive defeats and no wins in five for Nigel Clough’s men.

Jamie Reid wasted a golden chance to give Stags a third-minute lead as Morecambe goalkeeper Kyle Letheren parried a powerful Bowery shot and, following up, Reid headed over unchallenged from six yards.

Stags dominated and Mal Benning’s deflected free-kick was saved while Ollie Clarke and Reid missed the target.

The breakthrough finally came after 41 minutes as Stephen Quinn sent in a low cross from the left by-line and Bowery turned it home first time at the near post.

Quinn blazed over from a Jason Law pass soon after as Mansfield looked to build on their lead.

The closest Morecambe came was when Toumani Diagouraga’s shot deflected over for a corner after 18 minutes.

A poor second half saw few chances as the visitors, who came into the match chasing a third successive win, failed to force a single save out of home keeper Aidan Stone all afternoon.

Substitute AJ Leitch-Smith could have levelled two minutes into added time but completely missed his kick in front of goal from Carlos Mendes Gomes’ lofted pass.