A triple blast in the opening 45 minutes blew Mansfield Town away at The Envirovent Stadium as Town earned a confidence boosting 3-0 victory.
Goals from Alex Pattison after just five minutes and a Luke Armstrong double, the second in stoppage time did the damage as Town extended their unbeaten run against the Stags to six games.
Simon Weaver opted for an unchanged line-up from the side that was defeated 2-0 by Leyton Orient a week ago. There was a welcome return to the bench though for George Thomson after a recent spell out through injury.
For the visitors John-Joe O’Toole, Jordan Bowery and George Maris all came into side with Elliott Hewitt and George Lapslie dropping to the bench whilst Ollie Clarke missed out through injury.
Before the kick-off there was a rapturous minutes applause for long-time Town fan Johnny Walker who sadly passed away recently.
In the first minute an errant Warren Burrell pass was picked up by Stephen Quinn but he dragged his effort wide.
Skipper Josh Falkingham was then booked for a crude challenge on George Maris but Town brushed aside the opening minutes when a marauding run down the left-hand side from Danny Grant resulted in him playing in Pattison who coolly waited for the perfect moment to slot past Christie Pym.
With their tails up, Town then forced a corner when a dangerous Jack Muldoon cross was turned behind at the last moment.
Town were retaining possession well over the first fifteen minutes, keeping the physical Stags side at bay with only a John-Joe O’Toole header that went well wide as an opportunity at goal.
On nineteen minutes Town doubled their lead. A Joe Mattock pass split the visitors defence with Armstrong beating the offside trip to fire clinically past the advancing Pym.
Anthony Hartigan’s curling effort almost educed the arrears midway through the half but Pete Jameson was at full stretch to tip wide.
O’Toole then went into the book for preventing another Town break when he hauled back Grant.
After thirty-five minutes Ollie Hawkins should have done better with his free header from the six-yard box but he failed to test Jameson.
A minute later Jameson deflected an Akins shot wide after Mattock looked to have been fouled in the build up.
But on the stroke of half-time Town put the game to bed. Grant played in Jaheim Headley who, despite losing his footing, delivered the ball to Armstrong at the near post who tapped home for his second of the afternoon.
Stung by the deficit Nigel Clough made a triple change at the break, introducing Will Swan, Elliott Hewitt and Lewis Page for O’Toole, Jordan Bowery and Keiran Wallace.
Kayne Ramsay went into the book soon after break after his robust challenge welcome Page back to the Envirovent Stadium
Matty Daly was forced off through injury soon after and was replaced by the returning Thomson before Quinn blazed well over the bar from short distance when presented with a golden opportunity to get the Stags some foothold in the game.
It was a busy afternoon for referee Scott Oldham and the fourth yellow card of the day was brandished just before the hour when Mattock prevented Swan from joining in an attack for the visitors.
A rampaging Town break almost resulted in a fourth when Pattison first had a shot blocked and he then headed wide from Falkingham’s delivery.
Town’s liquid football was again on display minutes later when a sweeping move from right to left saw Headley fire from distance with Pym acrobatically tipping wide of the post to safety. The sheer pace of the Town attack was providing to be a menace to the visitors defence, with them having little or no answer.
The Stags made a further change when Hartigan was replaced by George Lapslie.
On 70 minutes Pattison raced on to Muldoon’s flick-on and forced Pym into a save at full stretch.
The visitors made their fifth and final change with fifteen minutes remaining when Quinn was withdrawn for Rhys Oates with Town introducing Josh Coley for Grant.
An Akins backheel was the only opportunities that the Stags could muster though as Town’s desire to further add to their tally was evident to see.
But with time ebbing away substitute Swan headed against Jameson’s bar but Pattison almost extended Town’s lead further just before the referee’s final whistle brought a standing ovation from those in attendance and earned a first win in six league outings.
TOWN: Jameson, Ramsay, Burrell, Mattock, Headley, Falkingham, Pattison, Daly (Thomson, 49), Muldoon (Frost, 86), Grant (Coley, 75), Armstrong.
Substitutes: Welch-Hayes, Folarin, Richards, McArdle.
Booked: Ramsay (46), Mattock (57)
Goals: Pattison (5), Armstrong (19, 45+3)
Mansfield: Pym, Hartigan (Lapslie, 67), Akins, Bowery (Swan, 45), Maris, Hawkins, Perch, Quinn (Oates, 75), Wallace (Page, 45), O’Toole (Hewitt, 45), Boateng.
Substitutes: Flinders, Gordon.
Booked: Hartigan (26), Wallace (29)
Referee: Scott Oldham.
Attendance: 2,421.
