Wycombe Wanderers finished 2017 in a low note as they lost 2-1 against Mansfield Town in a fiery encounter at Adams Park.

Lee Angol got the winner for The Stags on 80 minutes when he flicked CJ Hamilton's low cross with aplomb past Scott Brown.

The winner was tinged with controversy with Angol lucky to be on the pitch after lashing out at Dan Scarr midway through the second half.

Wanderers got off to the dream start on six minutes when Dominic Gape got free down the right and played in the perfect cross for Adebayo Akinfenwa to head home brilliantly past Bobby Olejnik.

However, Mansfield started like a train in the second half and Alife Potter slotted past Brown on 51 minutes to equalise for Steve Evans' side before Angol's late winner.

The Blues were on top from the get-go, putting the Mansfield defence under severe pressure.

Akinfenwa almost made it two on nine minutes when he met Joe Jacobson’s corner with a firm header which was superbly tipped away by Olejnik.

Mansfield’s afternoon got worse as they were forced into a double change after just 17 minutes, with Zander Diamond and Danny Rose being forced off through injury.

The Stags were trying to get a foothold in the game but Wycombe were proving well drilled in the opening half-hour.

After a quiet spell, Akinfenwa had another opportunity with his head on 37 minutes thanks to a devilish cross from Nathan Tyson but his effort went wide.

Wanderers looked a huge threat on the break with Tyson’s pace and the jet-heeled forward got in behind on 42 minutes and laid the ball to Paris Cowan-Hall, who shot wide.

Mansfield started to cause a few issues from the Wycombe defence and Angol stabbed the ball at goal just before the break which Brown smothered well.

The Chairboys came so close to making it two seconds before the interval when the ball found Akinfenwa in the box. His classy effort came back off the post with the rebound falling to Tyson, who’s thumping effort was brilliantly saved by Olejnik.

From the resulting corner, Akinfenwa’s bullet header went agonisingly wide.

The visitors came out of the traps well in the second half and Brown produced a brave save to deny Angol on 49 minutes after superb play by CJ Hamilton down the left.

Potter’s goal buoyed the visitors who were playing some slick football and Angol had the next chance on 54 minutes but he fired over from 15 yards when well placed.

Brown then produced a magnificent save to deny the lively Angol one-on-one after the striker got in behind the Wycombe backline on 58 minutes.

The game was turning into a feisty encounter with Angol, already on a booking, lucky not to get another yellow card after wrapping his arm round Scarr's neck.

Wanderers were grafting but Mansfield were still looking a real danger to the home side.

Approaching the last 10 minutes, the pendulum was swinging back in the Blues’ favour with Tyson causing problems down the left.

After Angol's goal, Scarr has a great opportunity to equalise for the hosts but he headed straight at Olejnik on 83 minutes after a wonderful cross from Tyson.

Substitute Nick Freeman almost saw his cross drop in with moments remaining before a huge shout for handball at the death for Wanderers was turned down by referee Christopher Sarginson.

Akinfenwa had one final opportunity to grab a point but his header drifted just wide with Olejnik beaten.

Wanderers dropped to fifth in League Two, but still cemented in the play-offs as they face Forest Green on New Year's Day.

WYCOMBE WANDERERS: Brown, Gape (sub: Freeman, 87), Jombati, Scarr, Jacobson, O’Nien, Saunders, Eze (sub: Bloomfield, 73), CowanHall (sub: Mackail-Smith, 46), Akinfenwa, Tyson. Subs: Ma-Kalambay, Southwell, De Havilland, Williams.

MANSFIELD TOWN: Olejnik, Bennett, Pearce, Diamond (sub: Benning, 17), MacDonald, Mellis, Anderson, Potter, Hamilton, Hemmings (sub: Sterling-James, 79), Rose (sub: Angol, 17). Subs: Logan, Digby, Atkinson, Butcher.

REFEREE: Christopher Sarginson

ATTENDANCE: 4,227