Tranmere Rovers picked up a dramatic victory over Mansfield Town on Friday night at Prenton Park.
An early Peter Clarke header followed by an Elliott Nevitt brace was enough to see off an inform Stags side.
It was the dream start for Rovers when after just 5 minutes, a well rehearsed corner routine was met by Calum MacDonald who nodded it into the path of Peter Clarke and the captain was on hand to divert the ball into the back of the net.
With the roar of the SWA behind them, Tranmere continued to attack. This time, Kieron Morris’ cross found it’s way to Paul Glatzel in the box but he just about couldn’t pull the trigger.
The visitors were restricted to chances with their first sight of goal coming from a back post corner. Jamie Murphy turned the ball back towards goal but a sea of white shirts blocked the effort.
Deep into the injury time, Mansfield forced an equaliser. McLaughlin stood a cross up to the back post where an unmarked Longstaff squeezed the ball in from a tight angle despite the best efforts of Joe Murphy.
Rovers started the second half really brightly and should have gone back in front. Glatzel jinked left and right in the box before eventually releasing his shot from close range but it was deflected over.
On the hour mark, McPake struck the woodwork. He found space on the right and got into the box before seeing his powerful effort canon back off the near post.
With 15 minutes of normal time remaining, substitute Elliott Nevitt put the home side back in front. He broke the offside trap after being played through by Lewis Warrington and the striker slotted cooly beneath Bishop.
Just as the board went up for eight minutes of injury time, The Stags grabbed an equaliser against the run of play. Oli Hawkins leapt highest from a corner to power a head home to claim what looked like a point for the visitors.
Another twist was yet to come as Nevitt once again sent the SWA into raptures. He twisted and turned inside the box and fired into the far corner as the clock hit 96 minutes.
Rovers held on for a much needed three points to put them back to third place in Sky Bet League Two
Tranmere team: Murphy, Dacres-Cogley, Clarke, Davies, MacDonald, Morris (Hawkes 28’), Warrington, O’Connor, McPake (Foley 89’), Glatzel (Nevitt 60’), Hemmings