Mansfield Town remain firmly in a relegation fight after a fifth successive defeat on Saturday, 2-1 at Plymouth Argyle.

Play-off chasing Argyle scored in the second minute when keeper Sascha Studer, deputising for the injured Lenny Pidgeley, misjudged a looping O’Connor header.

McHugh added a second from another set piece just after the hour before an immediate spectacular Vadaine Oliver reply, his sixth goal of the season, gave the visitors deserved hope.

Oliver missed a great chance on the stroke of half-time after the Stags initially struggled to overcome the loss of defender Richie Sutton just before kick-off.

However, after the first 20 minutes the Stags created the better chances and only fine saves denied Reggie Lambe and substitute Matt Rhead.

Now Mansfield will look to Tuesday’s home match with relegation rivals Tranmere Rovers as the big game. If they win, it would mean Tranmere and Cheltenham would have to win all their remaining matches to relegate the Stags, if Town failed to pick up a further point in the final three matches.