Tues 24th Apr 2001.

Subs not used.
Pilkington
Boulding

Cardiff City
Muggleton
Thompson
Evans (Bonner 71)
Perrett
Legg
Brazier (McCulloch 10)
Boland
Bowen (Earnshaw 77)
Young
Brayson
Fortune West

Subs not used.
Giles
Collins

Report from www.sports.com
Mansfield Town's young guns ended Cardiff's outside title hopes with their second victory over top of the table opposition in four days.

Once again Stags teenager Liam Lawrence turned the game, winning a late penalty to leave promoted Cardiff without a win in four games.

Lawrence twisted on the edge of the area, was tripped by Scott Young and Chris Greenacre slammed in his 21st goal of the season from the penalty spot.

City, outplayed by their lowly hosts for long periods, had threatened to snatch an undeserved point when Jason Bowen grabbed an excellent 66th minute equaliser to cancel out Shayne Bradley's sixth minute opener.

Bowen rifled in a 10-yard shot on the turn after a fine passing movement by Willie Boland, Leo Fortune-West and Andy Thompson opened up the home defence.

Seven minutes later Scott McCulloch's deflected 73rd minute free-kick was well held by the diving Bobby Mimms and then the Bluebirds faded again.

Earlier it had taken Mansfield just 18 seconds to create a chance, Greenacre glancing Lee Williamson's cross narrowly wide.

Cardiff failed to heed the warning when Bradley slid in to give Mansfield the lead. He fired home unmarked at the far post to convert Greenacre's cross.

Four minutes later the former Southampton striker should have doubled his tally, but he spooned his close range finish from David Jervis' pass over the bar.

Cardiff's only first half chances fell to Fortune-West, who volleyed wide on the turn and Kevin Evans who headed straight at the keeper.

At the other end Cardiff failed to cope with the rain-soaked pitch and Bradley again squandered a glorious chance when keeper Carl Muggleton palmed away his close range shot.

Greenacre again failed with a six-yard header at the start of the second half and keeper Muggleton was kept busy as Darrell Clarke and then Bradley shot onto the top of the net.

Cardiff were struggling to make any headway at all in the slippery conditions and from a long throw by Williamson, Muggleton again came to the Bluebirds rescue with a diving save to thwart Greenacre.

But then out of the blue in the 66th minute Bowen at last sparked City into action with the superb equaliser.

McCulloch's free-kick was saved and Fortune-West glanced Thompson's right-wing cross narrowly wide as City briefly showed their class. But then came Greenacre's late penalty to put a dampener on their promotion celebrations.

Report from www.totalwales.com
Cardiff City's slim hopes of winning the Third Division championship disappeared when they were beaten by a young Mansfield Town side at Field Mill last night.

An 82nd-minute penalty by Chris Greenacre, who scored two goals in 11 loan appearances for City in 1997, scuppered their hopes of returning with a point after equalising through a superb goal from Jason Bowen in the 66th minute.

The Football League board's decision not to ratify a tribunal recommendation to dock Chesterfield nine points for financial irregularities, has thrown the championship race into chaos but Brighton look favourites to lift the title.

Having scored 90 league goals, City needed another four in their last three games to break the record set in their Third Division South championship-winning season of 1946-47. But their defence came under pressure almost immediately when, in the very first minute, Lee Williamson crossed from the right for Greenacre to head just wide.

Five minutes later, the former Manchester City striker turned goal-maker by chasing a long ball down the right. As it reached the by-line, he whipped over a low cross which the unmarked Shayne Bradley half-volleyed home from six yards.

With Russell Perrett settling in well as one of Cardiff's three central defenders in place of the injured Rhys Weston, City gradually worked their way back into the match but rarely threatened to score.

Slick passing and energetic running by Mansfield's youngsters kept City on their toes and, after the interval, the Cardiff goal came under consistent attack.

Greenacre, Darrell Clarke and Bradley all went close before City equalised.

Andy Thompson fed Leo Fortune-West on the edge of the box and Saturday's hat-trick hero at York where promotion was sealed, showed the finesse to set up Bowen who skipped past a defender and fired home a low left-foot shot across veteran Bobby Mimms.

In the 81st minute, substitute Liam Lawrence was upended by Scott Young inside the area and Greenacre stepped up to drive the penalty down the middle of Carl Muggleton's goal as the Cardiff 'keeper dived to his right.

It was Greenacre's 21st goal of the season and secured Mansfield's Third Division status for another season.

Substitute Robert Earnshaw almost snatched an injury-time equaliser but his header from Thompson's right-wing cross flashed wide.

Report from www.bbc.co.uk
Mansfield's youngsters pulled off their second impressive result in four days as they defeated title-hopefuls Cardiff 2-1 at Field Mill.

The Stags beat promotion-chasing Leyton Orient on Saturday and were always in control.

Shayne Bradley gave them the perfect start when he turned home Chris Greenacre's low cross after six minutes.

Cardiff goalkeeper Carl Muggleton then pulled off two excellent saves either side of half-time to deny Bradley and Greenacre.

But Mansfield were punished for not capitalising on their possession when Leo Fortune-West set up Jason Bowen for a 66th-minute equaliser.

However, Mansfield were not done and Scott Young brought down Liam Lawrence eight minutes from time to give Greenacre the chance to blast home his 21st goal of the season from the penalty spot.