Inept Brighton crashed out of the FA Cup to the side second from bottom of the League - and they've only themselves to blame.
Talented defender Joel Lynch isn't quite as good a player as he thinks he is, and his slackness on the ball against hungry opponents led to both goals.
Mansfield hadn't won away in the league all season - and had lost their last five games on the road - so you can imagine how surprised and delighted their fans were.
Lynch, back in the side after illness, slotted in at left back and was exposed for the first time after only 10 minutes, failing to deal with the raiding right winger Hamshaw, who burst through and shot straight through Kuipers to open the scoring.
Although Alex Revell pulled a goal back with a free header from a Dean Cox free kick on 23 minutes, Albion failed to capitalise on the 'get-out-of-jail' equaliser and went behind again in added-on time at the end of the first half. Lynch again failed to deal with a move down the right wing and this time the ball was crossed for youngster Ian Holmes to tap in with ease.
The more natural left-back, Sam Rents, was introduced at the start of the 2nd half, replacing the injured Guy Butters, with Lynch moving into the centre, but there was no real spark to Albion's effort. They badly missed Dean Hammond in central midfield where Paul Reid struggled to make an impression and Tommy Fraser looked unwell or unfit. Substitute Doug Loft took his place but fared no better.
Considering all the pre-match fuss and bluster about signing David Martot in time to be included, it was amazing that he was kept on the bench as the game patently needed something positive to come from wide positions. Revell nearly made it happen when he dropped a good ball onto substitute Nathan Elder's head, but the keeper made a comfortable save.
Adam El-Abd burst through and saw what was obviously a cross graze the crossbar.
But that was all the Albion had to show for the second half, which was simply not good enough.
Player ratings:
Kuipers 5;
El-Abd
Elphick 5,
Butters 5,
Lynch 3;
Robinson 4,
Reid 4,
Fraser 3,
Cox 7;
Revell 6,
Forster 5.
Subs:
Rents (for Butters) 5,
Loft (for Fraser) 4,
Elder (for Robinson) 5.Labels: FA Cup, Mansfield, Nick Turrell
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