Goals from strikers Jimmy Spencer, Lee Angol and Ricky Miller fired the Stags to a 3-0 victory at Wigan Athletic as our second string lifted the Central League Cup.
The final of the competition – arranged by the clubs’ reserve league – was watched by both Mansfield Town boss David Flitcroft and Wigan manager Paul Cook.
In the afternoon kick-off at the Latics' academy training ground, Stags fielded a strong side of whom many will have used the match in a bid to force their way into a starting first team berth.
Mansfield rarely looked in danger of letting this one slip as soon as Jimmy Spencer’s deflected strike found the net mid-way through the first half.
At the other end, Wigan’s youngsters threatened with energy but Mansfield goalkeeper Sam Wilson was scarcely tested throughout the 90 minutes.
It was Wilson, though, who had to make a good stop to his right as early as the seventh minute to turn away a 25-yard- hit from Wigan’s Luke Burgess.
Though Stags soon found their rhythm and sent dangerous, early crosses into the box - from Omari Sterling-James and Hayden White – the latter seeing Jimmy Spencer connect to force a corner.
Frontman Lee Angol first tested the Wigan ‘keeper, from 22 yards, but it was a routine stop.
Ricky Miller then got in on the shooting act when he showed great strength to get beyond two players, but his final drive was turned behind for a corner.
The breakthrough came on 22 minutes.
Jimmy Spencer broke the offside trap to advance into the box, and as Wigan retreated, his shot from 12 yards took a deflection to beat Latics’ shot-stopper Dan Lavercombe.
White almost scored on the half-hour mark but headed over from close range following a super assist from Spencer.
Midfielder Jack Thomas had two attempts to add his name to the scorecard, but a heavy touch and a mis-fired strike from 22 yards was his undoing.
Angol then headed against the crossbar from Penney’s left flank cross, but would not be denied on 44 minutes.
Thomas started the crux of the move on the left and after Spencer’s slide pass found Angol, the ex Peterborough man finished with aplomb from 10 yards.
Goalscoring chances weren’t as plentiful in the second half, though Stags maintained good pressure and fully deserved their ultimate victory.
Two corners in as many second half minutes saw Stags fly out of the half-time traps.
On 54, Ricky Miller, near the goal line, struck towards the inside of the near post, but his effort was beaten away by the 'keeper and then from the follow-up Wigan hacked off the line.
On the stroke of the hour, Wigan sent a dangerous ball into the box from their star man Joe Downey, but a stooping Mwiya Malimo missed the delivery from 12 yards with only Wilson to beat.
Stags made sure of the victory on 68.
Wilson knocked it long and after Spencer helped it on, Miller showed good strength under pressure to get a second shot away inside the area to complete Stags’ treble.
A quartet of changes were made by David Flitcroft in the final half-an-hour - all of which involved youth team scholars/young professionals replacing more experienced team-mates.
In the closing moments, Miller was shown a yellow card for a mis-timed tackle, but it did little to spoil Stags’ jubilation of lifting the trophy which – sportingly – saw Wigan’s players stand to one side to take applause.
STAGS: Wilson, White (Gooden 75), Thomas, Hunt, Penney (Gibbens 69), Sterling-James (Ward 65), Digby, Byrom (Smith 71), Angol, Miller, Spencer
UNUSED SUB: Sundby
