Mansfield Town recorded a 3-1 victory at neighbouring Worksop Town, a week before the start of their new league campaign.
Second half goals from defender Lee Collins and midfielder Chris Clements put Stags in the driving seat, with Worksop replying on 72 minutes when an un-named home trialist put Worksop on the scoresheet.
Young striker Zayn Hakeem confirmed the win in the final minutes, applying the finish to a Kevan Hurst corner.
Young striker Zayn Hakeem confirmed the win in the final minutes, applying the finish to a Kevan Hurst corner.
In truth, this could have been a goal glut for Mansfield, who dominated possession throughout the contest, creating a hatful of chances, particularly in the first half.
It was defender Mal Benning’s first taste of pre-season since the Stags' 2-1 victory at home to Bolton Wanderers a fortnight ago.
Worksop fielded two former Stags’ youth team players: Jack Hawkins, the midfielder, and frontman Adam Somes.
The home team, nicknamed the Tigers, barely had a touch of the ball in the opening two minutes and were given early respite when Mal Benning’s rasping right-footed strike flew over from 25 yards.
The first Worksop attack, on four minutes, saw Adam Scott skip beyond two Stags players to force a corner.
Two minutes later, Danny Rose drifted a ball into the Worksop box from the right-side. Matt Green, Stags’ leading talisman last season, collected well but fired the wrong side of the post.
Stags’ maintained their early pressure and striker Danny Rose will have been disappointed not to have hit the target on eight minutes. Right back Rhys Bennett’s pin point cross from the edge of the home box found Rose just outside the goal area, but his looping header flew over the bar.
Stags’ attacks on the Worksop goal were almost relentless and Green tried his luck on 11 minutes, shooting wide of the ‘keeper’s right post from 25 yards.
Bennett and Green combined again, this time in the 13th minute.Â
The right-back drifted in a left-footed ball to the edge of the goal area where Green, under heavy pressure, could only head over the bar.
Mitchell Rose then got involved in the onslaught, connecting with Benning’s dangerous left flank cross, but the midfielder’s attempt was blocked en route to goal.
Midway through the first half, Benning struck at goal once more, again from 25-yards, but Worksop goalkeeper Jon Kennedy was well behind it.
With 24 minutes played, Bennett teed up Hurst who had a crack at goal from outside the box, but his rising shot was claimed by Kennedy.
Stags’ lengthy possession of the ball continued and a further attempt to break the deadlock was created on 32 minutes.  From a cross into the home box, Danny Rose knocked it to Chris Clements, but he arrowed his drive over the crossbar.
At the other end, in a rare effort towards the Stags goal, Adam Scott blasted a 35-yard-free kick behind the stand.Â
Mansfield went inches wide of a breakthrough on 37 minutes
Benning again delivered from the left and Green climbed into the air to connect, but his header rolled past the post.
Kennedy was called upon a minute later to fingertip over a piledriver from Mitchell Rose.
The home goalkeeper then fumbled a Kevan Hurst cross in the air but was helped out by his defenders before Bennett headed over moments later from Benning’s left-flank delivery.
A five man Stags’ move forced another corner with four minutes of the first half remaining.Â
Hurst spotted the advancing run of Benning who knocked it to Danny Rose. Clements then received the ball before slipping it to Mitchell Rose, whose dangerous cross was put behind for a corner.
Kevan Hurst then sent the Worksop defence into a merry dance with a mazy run but his final shot rattled the bar.
On 43, Kennedy got down well to deny a curling free-kick by Chris Clements, which had beaten the Worksop wall from 23 yards.
The home side will have been relieved to hear the sound of the half-time whistle after an ultra-defensive workout in the first-half in which Stags did everything but score.
After the first half barrage, it took Stags less than two minutes to find the net after the break and in the simplest of fashions.
Hurst’s inswinging corner was flicked goalwards by Lee Collins amidst a congested penalty area and into the net.
It was the last moment of action for Collins who was soon replaced by an unnamed trialist.
Stags then had to be on guard when Somes broke through, although appearing offside when receiving the ball, but the flag stayed down, allowing him to pull it back to Hawkins who struck over.
A change was then made in the Stags’ attack as Pat Hoban replaced Danny Rose.
Shortly before the hour-mark, Worksop made alterations of their own: Â Off came Jack Hawkins, Adam Somes, Callum Harrison and Scott Wesley.
An unnamed trialist entered the fray, along with Kyle Jordan, Matt Parkin and Mark Fereday.
CJ Hamilton was then introduced into the action for the Stags, coming on for Mitchell Rose.
On 62, Stags doubled their advantage. Rhys Bennett provided the trickery on the right before a low pass to the centre of the penalty area, where Chris Clements slammed low and hard to complete the move.
Mansfield goalkeeper Scott Shearer had to make his first save of the match on 70 minutes.
Mark Feredy turned well inside the Stags’ box and from the right unleashed a low effort which had to be denied by the fingertips of Shearer.
Matt Green and Chris Clements then departed the field to be replaced by Jamie McGuire and Zayn Hakeem.
Stags conceded a sloppy goal on 72. Â Unable to clear a ball from the left, it fell to an unnamed Worksop trialist who applied the finish into the roof of the net from six yards.
With 15 minutes remaining, new loan signing Kyle Howkins, who signed on a six month loan deal from West Brom yesterday, came on for George Taft in the Stags' defence.
Soon after the change, Adam Murray’s Mansfield broke forward again, ending with Bennett who laid it across the face of goal but nobody was there to connect.
On 79, CJ Hamilton took the place of Mal Benning as Stags operated with three in defence.
Seven minutes later, an-unnamed Worksop trialist was unexpectedly shown the yellow card for delaying the restart of play by James Bell, the enthusiastic match referee. Â Whilst the trialist was being spoken to by the man in charge, Stags' midfielder Adam Chapman, from inside his own half, struck an incredible free-kick against the Worksop cross bar, but the referee pulled play back.
Seven minutes later, an-unnamed Worksop trialist was unexpectedly shown the yellow card for delaying the restart of play by James Bell, the enthusiastic match referee. Â Whilst the trialist was being spoken to by the man in charge, Stags' midfielder Adam Chapman, from inside his own half, struck an incredible free-kick against the Worksop cross bar, but the referee pulled play back.
Stags completed the win three minutes from the end when Hurst's corner was met by Hakeem inside the six yard box to apply the finish and put Stags into a 3-1 lead.
Pat Hoban attempted to carve his name onto the scoresheet with a low drive in the closing stages, but his shot from outside the box was off target.
Pat Hoban attempted to carve his name onto the scoresheet with a low drive in the closing stages, but his shot from outside the box was off target.
WORKSOP: Kennedy, Fereday, Johnson, Waddle, Lawrence (Loftus 15), Fenton, Hawkins (Parkin 59), Harrison (Fereday 59), Scott (Trialist 63), Somes (Jordan 59), Wesley (Trialist 59)
SUBS NOT USED: Pereira, Stacey, Graves
STAGS: Shearer, Bennett, Collins (Trialist 49), Taft (Howkins 75), Benning (Hemmings 79), Chapman, M. Rose (Hamilton 62), Hurst, Clements (McGuire 71), D. Rose (Hoban 54), Green (Hakeem 71)
SUBS NOT USED: Jensen, Baxendale,
REFEREE: James Bell
ATTENDANCE: 558
