Lively striker Nathan Elder made an instant impact on his Wimbledon debut just 24 hours after signing for The Dons as he helped them to a 2-0 victory over fellow promotion hopefuls Mansfield Town.

Elder was the difference between the two sides as Stags were left to rue missed chances.

He netted the first and set up the second to cap an impressive debut.

Stags knew they would find it hard to break down a Dons defence which had conceded only one goal in seven matches.  But they created enough chances to get on the scoresheet.

It was the home side, however, who enjoyed the better of the first half and they got off to a dream start after only two minutes when Glenn Poole crossed from the left and Nathan Elder headed into the far corner unchallenged to put Wimbledon into an early lead.

Andy Burgess, returning to the line up, registered Stags' first effort on goal three minutes later, but his shot from distance flew harmlessly over the bar.

Mansfield's first realcharge came when stand-in team captain Gary Silk went on a surging run on the right and it was Kyle Perry who backheeled it back to Silk, but his subsequent shot was deflected into the side netting.

Perry then headed wide unmarked at the back post from the resulting corner as Stags' first real chance went begging.

The same player then mis-hit at a shot as he broke through on goal following a suicidal back pass from Wimbledon's Lewis Taylor.

A linesman's flag stood in the way of Wimbledon's second goal after Nathan Elder was caught offside after running through on goal following a good move.

But it was only a brief respite for Mansfield and The Dons doubled their advantage on 22 minutes.  Wimbledon's star man Elder headed back across goal to Lewis Taylor, who slotted home from 12 yards with a cool finish.

Elder then headed wide four minutes later following a free kick on the left as Wimbledon tightened their grip on the game.

Stags' Louis Briscoe then turned inside the box before firing over as the game turned 30 minutes old.

In the last minute of the half, Will Hendry latched onto a Jon Main pass down the middle but struck well over.

At the break, Luke Jones replaced Scott Garner in central defence.

Four minutes later, Jake Speight came off the bench for Andy Burgess as a 4-3-3 formation appeared to be adopted.

On 52 minutes, Perry missed a gilt edged chance when he struck over from only eight yards following a pin-point left-wing cross by Paul Heckingbottom.

Stags started the second half brighter than the first and Louis Briscoe was unlucky not have someone on the end of his cross after dashing down the right wing with 55 minutes played.

Michael Brough had to make a superb tackle to stop Nathan Elder's dazzling run just as he was set to pull the trigger on 65.

Then at the other end, Stags hit the Dons on the counter attack and Rob Duffy was only a stride away from making contact with a right wing cross by Briscoe, but Dons' defender Sam Hatton beat him to it.

Livewire Jake Speight did well to force a corner and three more followed in succession, but none to any reward.

New signing Jon Shaw then made his Mansfield debut with a little over 15 minutes remaining, as he took the field at the expense of Rob Duffy.

On 85 minutes, Wimbledon almost had a third but the backtracking Alan Marriott managed to palm over the bar from an audacious lob from substitute Ricky Wellard.

Stags then had a goal ruled out for offside after Jake Speight had put the ball in the net.

Wellard was determined to find the net but he was denied by the claw of Marriott for a second time after he struck ferociously from long range as the game edged to its close.

Kennedy Adjei tried his luck in the 90^th minute from 25 yards as Wimbledon aimed to finish on a high.