Rod Thomas was sent off in disgrace last night as 10-man Albion battled valiantly against the odds.

The recalled winger received his marching orders less than five minutes into the clash at Field Mill for head- butting Andy Roscoe.

The spirited Seagulls defied their disadvantage until the 77th minute, when Tony Lormor converted a penalty after Andy Crosby was adjudged to have tugged his shirt.

It gave Mansfield their fifth win out of six and stretched Albion's run without a win to six matches.

Micky Adams' men could count themselves very unfortunate not to get something out of the game.

They went close to scoring several times and the outstanding Danny Cullip headed against a post.

Adams made an intriguing change to his starting line-up for the first time in three matches. Thomas was given his first start for nine weeks at the expense of Pinamonte.

The on-loan Italian, subject of a £75,000 bid from Brentford, was responsible for Darlington's goal in Saturday's 1-1 draw at Withdean.

Mansfield started with the team which finished Saturday's 2-0 victory at Carlisle, Williams retaining his place with Leigh Bromby ruled out by injury.

Adams chose to sit in the directors' box again a couple of rows in front of Barnsley manager Dave Bassett, his old boss at Nottingham Forest.

Also in the crowd were Arthur Cox, the right hand man of England coach Kevin Keegan, and Chester's director of football Ian Atkins.

All of Adams' planning went out of the window when Thomas was stupidly sent off inside five minutes.

The little winger head-butted Roscoe right under the nose of the linesman. Referee Richards was already brandishing the red card as he ran across to the incident.

The shameful actions of Thomas prompted a quick dash down to the dugout by Adams as Albion reorganised.

They responded well to their numerical disadvantage, Freeman firing straight at keeper Thompson from wide on the left flank and Mayo shooting just wide from 20 yards.

Roscoe was involved in another controversial moment in the ninth minute. He appeared to foul Hart but the Seagulls striker, sent sprawling by the challenge, was booked for diving by Richards.

Albion's sixth red card of the campaign seemed to unsettle them less than Mansfield. The only threat offered by the in-form home side in the opening 20 minutes was a flick header by Greenacre at the n

Albion continued to look the better side and they were unlucky not to take the lead in the 28th minute.

Cullip, jumping with Freeman, headed a corner from Watson against the post with Thompson beaten.

Mansfield's response was instant, Greenacre's shot on the turn from 15 yards forcing Walton into a diving stop at the expense of a corner.

Mansfield should have made the extra man tell in the 34th minute when Sissons' pass gave Clarke time and space deep inside the Albion area. The young midfielder delayed before trying to round Walton, who smothered at his feet.

Although Albion came under a bit more pressure as half-time approached, the defence were coping quite comfortably.

Cullip was having a particularly fine match and he almost forced a blunder out of Blake when he challenged for another Watson corner. Mansfield's former Aston Villa and Leicester midfielder headed just wide of his own net, with Thompson a spectator.

Hart's explosive pace then enabled him to beat the onrushing Thompson to a long punt upfield by Walton, only for Asher to make a timely intervention.

The Mansfield defence failed to clear Watson's resulting corner and Rogers' effort from an acute angle six yards out was blocked with his legs by Thompson.

Four minutes into the second half Cullip headed down a Watson free-kick for Rogers to blaze over from a tight angle.

The Seagulls were still showing commendable spirit in the face of adversity and they came close again when Freeman got the better of Cowling from Walton's long clearance.

Albion's top marksman then cut inside to hit a fierce shot which Thompson parried.

Carr was cruelly cautioned for time wasting from an Albion free-kick just inside their own half on 59 minutes when a Mansfield player had not retreated ten yards.

Freeman was then unfortunate to lose his footing inside the Mansfield area after latching on to his strike partner's flick.

All of Albion's hard work was undone with 13 minutes left when referee Richards penalised Crosby for tugging Lormor.

Crosby was booked before Lormor converted the resulting penalty down the middle of the goal as Walton dived to his left.

Crosby's misery was completed as he was immediately substituted by Pinamonte.

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