Mark Hemingray’s youth team moved to the top of the Football Conference Youth Alliance table after they emerged victorious in a seven-goal thriller against Guiseley at Nethermoor.
Two goals from Jordan Vilums, either side of a strike from Redmond Lee, ensured that Mansfield were ahead at the break, before two late strikes from Lewis Chambers sealed the points.
On a bitterly cold afternoon in West Yorkshire the Stags got off to a perfect start as Vilums converted a spot-kick in the fourth minute after he had been fouled inside the area by Luke Porritt.
Jack Hawkins saw a close-range shot blocked as Liam Marsden’s long throw wreaked havoc inside the Guiseley six-yard box, whilst Matt Jones also whistled a ball across the face of goal as Mansfield started in bright fashion.
The hosts struggled desperately early on, but carved out an opportunity on the quarter-hour mark when the lively Porriitt fired over from the edge of the area.
Robinson saw an effort turned away by Ryan Hopkins, before Guiseley grabbed an equaliser when Lee latched on to a long ball out of defence from Dave Hodgson and chipped Hopkins in spectacular fashion.
Vilums screwed a shot wide after an intricate lay-off from Remi Davis on the half-hour mark, but the Mansfield striker made no mistake on 35 minutes as he latched on to a defence-splitting pass from Kurtis Turner and rounded Guiseley keeper Josh Clark to re-instate the one goal advantage.
Nuha Jabbi twice came within inches of extending the lead before the break, but after his close-range finish was ruled out for offside, the combative-midfielder whistled a 30-yard free-kick over the target.
Hawkins and Turner also went close with separate set-piece attempts early in the second period, and Mansfield registered another chance when Vilums fired over from 25 yards on the hour-mark.
Vilums teased and tormented his marker, Jake Ledger, with his expert trickery throughout the game, and spurned a great chance to complete his hat-trick when he blazed wide at the back-post after reaching Jones’ deep cross.
The Stags were almost made to pay for the miss less than 60 seconds later, as Lee’s swerving low shot ricocheted off the post, which fortuitously enabled Dean Robinson to clear the danger.
Mansfield then struck a third goal on 79 minutes when substitute Chambers capitalised on some huge indecision within the Guiseley defence to reach a through ball from Vilums and slot home.
But the hosts responded straight away as Porritt’s high cross was met at the back-post by Luke Robinson, who stooped low and found the target with his well-placed header.
In what had become a frantic finale, the goals continued to flow as Mansfield registered a fourth when Chambers tapped into an empty net after Clark had parried a superb free-kick from Hawkins straight into his path.
Guiseley again reduced the deficit to just one goal when Zack Dale’s delightful right-wing cross was once again converted by Luke Robinson in a back-post position, but Mansfield held on to record an impressive win.
Stags: Hopkins, Marsden, Vincent, Gregory, Robinson, Jabbi, Turner (c), Hawkins, Jones, Davis (Chambers 66), Vilums.
