WHATEVER happens at the Abbey Stadium today, Mansfield will hope for something better than the fate they suffered almost ten years ago.

Despite being up in the play-off spots, the Stags were taken apart by top-of-the-table Us who took their chances clinically.

The result left boss Steve Parkin seething – and with the task of trying to lift his players for the end-of-season run-in.

"It's no use looking at the league table after a result like that. I am only glad we are in a position where we are safe from dropping out the league," he said.

"It's going to be hard to regain some confidence and pride in our performance.

"It grieves me to admit our back three were nowhere near as good as their front three, and I hope they feel hurt by what has happened.

"It wasn't a bad performance generally; it was bad defensively. We created four or five really good chances, but mistakes led to at least four or five of their goals."

Cambridge had already won 3-1 at Field Mill in October with the attacking triumvirate of Trevor Benjamin, John Taylor and Martin Butler causing all sorts of problems.

And they were at it again throughout this encounter as Taylor opened the scoring in the 13th minute by squeezing home from eight yards after the visitors had failed to clear their lines.

The Stags should have levelled in the 20th minute, only for Tony Lormor to miss a good chance. But they were level on the half hour.

French trialist Cyrille L'Helgoualch split the United defence and Lormor this time made no mistake, firing into the top corner.

Parity lasted for only three minutes as Taylor knocked down for Butler to fire home a low shot from 12 yards.

Two minutes into first half stoppage time it was 3-1 as Benjamin raced on to Butler's pass to beat keeper Ian Bowling with a deflected lob.

But Mansfield had their own opportunities, David Kerr twice denied, along with Jamie Campbell.

The game was all but decided soon after the restart as Butler converted a penalty when Lee Williams was adjudged to have tripped Taylor.

Mansfield pulled a goal back from the spot in the 64th minute to give themselves a flicker of hope, Lee Peacock doing the honours.

But the rest of the game belonged to the hosts as first Butler – who had almost signed for Mansfield two seasons previously – completed his hat-trick with 12 minutes to go.

Neil Mustoe made it 6-2 by lobbing home from 35 yards after a scuffed clearance by Bowling before Richard Walker stroked home a seventh in stoppage time.

Cambridge did go on to seal promotion, but they could not hold on to top spot, Brentford pipping them for the title. Mansfield, meanwhile, missed out on the play-offs by four points and one place.