Promotion contenders York City were left walking in a winter wonderland after two goals from Richard Brodie and a solitary strike from Michael Gash inspired them to a Boxing Day win over rivals Mansfield Town.
The game only survived due to the efforts of around 50 York supporters, who worked early to remove snow from the playing surface.
But their work paid off as their heroes repaid them with a classy performance to further cement City's place in the play-offs.
Stags were hampered by a numerical dis-advantage for almost the entire second half after Luke Jones received a straight red card for denying a goalscoring opportunity.
It was Mansfield who flew out the traps and they registered the first effort on goal inside the opening 30 seconds. Andy Burgess' beautifully weighted pass found Jon Challinor, and as his ball across the face of goal was cleared, Michael Brough fired over from 20 yards.
Burgess then made the cross from the left for Kyle Perry to head over on nine minutes as Stags' continued their bright start.
At the other end, York's Alex Lawless was allowed room on the edge of the area to shoot wide on 15 minutes.
Moments later, Lawless sent a delicious right-wing cross into the box, but Chris Carruthers headed over with the aid of a Mansfield deflection.
It was York, however, in flourishing form, who took command of the first half and they broke the deadlock on 21 minutes through a messy goal. Carruthers' crossed from the left and as the ball was hit goalbound through a crowded penalty, the ball appeared to be stopped near the line by Michael Rankine.
As a scramble in the box followed, the division's leading goalscorer Richard Brodie got the final touch on the far side of the area as York gained the upper hand.
The home side grew in confidence as the half progressed and the unnoticed Levi Mackin should have done better from inside the area when he blasted over the stand following a corner.
On 35 minutes, Lawless struck off target from 20 yards following a neat three man move around the box.
Stags' chief David Holdsworth made two changes at half time.Oliver Hotchkiss and Ryan Williams replaced Michael Brough and Lee Morris.
But the second period didn't start in the best of fashions as Stags were reduced to ten men and conceded a penalty within 65 seconds of the restart.
Luke Jones got the wrong side of Richard Brodie inside the area as a long ball came over the top, and the Stags' skipper hauled him down in the area and was given his marching orders, being deemed the last man.
Up stepped Brodie from 12 yards to blast the ball home for his 25th of the season.
It meant that a 4-4-1 formation was adopted,with Matt Somner moving from central midfield to the heart of the backline.
On 52 minutes, Michael Rankine struck wide with a first time effort from 12 yards following a cross from the right.
York's Brodie, seeking a late Christmas hat-trick, unleashed a shot from 25 yards which went wide of the left hand post.
Andy Burgess then struck on the volley from the edge of the box as Stags recorded their first shot on goal in the second half.
The same player then left the field to make way for Jake Speight with 23 minutes left to play.
York won a free kick three minutes later, and Stags had Alan Marriott to thank when he got down low to a well-struck Michael Rankine drive.
Stags linked up well down the left channel in spells and club captain Ryan Williams wasn't far away with 15 minutes left into play - his right-footed curling effort narrowly flying wide.
City's frontman Michael Rankine left the field to be replaced by York's big summer signing Michael Gash.
And he made an instant impact and fired into the bottom corner of the goal following good work by Brodie on the edge of the area as York further increased their lead.
With the points now safe, York boss Martin Foyle made a further two changes. The impressive Alex Lawless and Chris Carruthers left the field for Andy Ferrell and Kevin Gall.
Paul Heckingbottom was then called upon to clear the ball off the line, directly in front of the view of 642 travelling Stags' fans.
York's Brodie put a slight dint in his shining day by picking up a yellow card for diving in stoppage time, but it ultimately mattered little as York recorded their 10th win in 11 games.
