Colchester United surrendered a two-goal lead to lose 3-2 to promotion rivals Mansfield Town, following a dramatic contest at the JobServe Community Stadium.

The U's had led at half-time thanks to first-half goals from Tom Eastman and Courtney Senior.

But two goals in the space of 13 second-half minutes from Nicky Ajose and Tyler Walker got Mansfield back on level terms.

And CJ Hamilton's strike with 11 minutes to go completed the Stags' stunning second-half comeback, to leave Colchester beaten.

Colchester head coach John McGreal named an unchanged starting line-up for their game against Mansfield.

That meant that Brennan Dickenson kept his place at left-back, despite Kane Vincent-Young’s return from a toe injury.

Luke Norris missed out after suffering an ankle injury in training, meaning a place on the bench for Junior Ogedi-Uzokwe.

Colchester started well and Sammie Szmodics forced Mansfield keeper Jordan Smith into a great tenth-minute save from point-blank range, after Frank Nouble had done brilliantly to set him up.

But Mansfield almost took the lead two minutes later when Ajose headed wastefully wide unmarked at the far post from Hamilton’s cross.

However, Colchester went ahead in the 15th minute when he showed great footwork to prod the ball past Smith and in, after Mikael Mandron had headed on Courtney Senior's free-kick into the box.

Dickenson's audacious effort nearly caught Smith out at his near post soon after but the Mansfield keeper tipped it away for a corner, as Colchester pressed for more goals.

Mandron’s deflected shot then flew into the side netting after Szmodics had latched onto Nouble’s fine pass to set him up in the area, as the U’s looking dangerous as an attacking force.

But Colchester doubled their lead on the half hour through Senior, who was allowed time to pick his spot in the area and drill a low left-foot shot past Smith and into the near post for his fifth goal of the season.

Colchester keeper Rene Gilmartin made a fine save to tip away Mal Benning’s left-foot 20-yard shot just before half-time, as the U’s went in at the break in command.

McGreal’s side were almost three ahead in the opening seconds of the second half when Szmodics sent a free header over, from Nouble’s cross.

But Gilmartin had to be alert to tip over Hamilton’s cross-cum-shot before Mansfield pulled a goal back five minutes after the break when Ajose chested the ball in from close range after Tyler Walker had delivered a cross from the right.

And the Stags were back on level terms 13 minutes later when Walker side-footed confidently home to equalise, after Jorge Grant had done well to pick him out in the area.

Both sides went in search of an all-important winner after that and Mansfield completed their second-half turnaround with 11 minutes remaining when Hamilton prodded home in the six-yard box after Ajose's pass had caught the U's defence napping.

Colchester went in search of an equaliser after that but were unable to find the net, as Mansfield claimed victory.