Mansfield remain in the hunt for automatic promotion from League Two after a hard-earned 2-0 home win over Stevenage

George Lapslie and Matty Longstaff struck to leave the Stags fifth, one point behind third-placed Northampton with two games to go.

Former Mansfield boss Steve Evans was given a hostile reception by home fans on his return to his former club.

But his Stevenage side defended stoutly in a frustrating first half for Mansfield.

Indeed, the nearest the sides came to a breakthrough was at the other end on the half-hour when Stevenage forward Luke Norris out-muscled Stephen McLaughlin and burst into the box, his low shot turned away by keeper Nathan Bishop’s fingertips at full stretch to his right.

Mansfield went up a gear after the break and after George Maris had shot inches wide from a Lucas Akins pull-back in the 47th minute, they went ahead four minutes later.

A short corner from the left was sent over by Jamie Murphy and Lapslie won the ball in a scramble and fired inside the left post from six yards.

Stevenage finished the game with 10 men after making all their subtitutions and then losing Terence Vancooten injured eight minutes from time.

Longstaff made the points safe in the third added minute as the Stags played keep-ball and then some neat passing found him unmarked in the box to tuck away a low finish from 10 yards.