One goal apiece from the strike partnership of Danny Rose and Nicky Maynard secured a 2-0 victory in convincing fashion against Carlisle United at Brunton Park.
In the 28th minute, Rose notched his third goal in as many league outings to thrust his side into the driving seat before Maynard added a classy second prior to the half-time break.
The hosts threatened to fight back in the second period but were fronted with a solid, unbreakable defence that recorded their first victory of the 2019/20 season.
John Dempster made a total of three alterations from his side’s previous Sky Bet League Two outing.
Matt Preston, Otis Khan and CJ Hamilton made way for Hayden White, Ryan Sweeney and Willem Tomlinson as the Stags fought for three points on the road.
Mansfield made a positive start at Brunton Park and could have taken an early lead when Alex MacDonald’s outswinger clipped the back of an onrushing Krystian Pearce.
Down the opposite end, Nathan Thomas had two digs at goal only to be matched by Conrad Logan on both occasions.
A crisp passing move from the Stags was then ended with Kellan Gordon’s cross whistling the wrong side of the far post.
White was then called into action inside his own penalty area to deny Harry McKirdy any sniff at goal with some superb defending.
The contest continued to ebb and flow before, on 26 minutes, the hosts could have so easily taken the lead.
McKirdy’s late run was spotted by his teammate Thomas, yet the eventual effort from a bouncing ball was unable to be kept down as he cleared the bar from seven yards.
And they would be made to rue their missed chance just two minutes thereafter.
A deep, hanging cross from Tomlinson seemed to be floating out of play before the Stags’ number 32, Rose, arrived in the nick of time for his third goal in as many league appearances.
An assured finish by the Mansfield frontman duly sent the travelling support into collective noise as he edged his side into an advantageous position.
United threatened an equaliser minutes before the interval but were consistently thwarted by a resilient backline.
Instead, in the fourth minute of added time in the first half, Maynard doubled the lead for his side courtesy of some brilliant quick thinking.
A lofted pass from White was flicked down by Rose into the path of his strike partner, whose half volley nestled into the back of the goal beyond the outstretched hand of Adam Collin.
Mansfield were tasked with protecting their advantage into the second period and they looked to do so by adding a third, rather than sitting deep.
Gordon’s surging run ended with a high delivery that had to be averted to safety to ensure Rose – lurking at the back post – would not be afforded a gilt-edged chance for his brace.
Soon after, the Cumbrians were awarded a dangerously-placed set-piece but Thomas struck the subsequent attempt into the wall of black shirts.
Dempster then opted for his first substitution on Saturday afternoon as Maynard left the field in place of Hamilton.
And the proactive switch almost paid dividends within moments of its occurrence.
The energetic frontman sought to latch onto a through ball from MacDonald and would have been one-on-one with Collin had it not been slightly over hit.
United, as expected, continually pressed to recover in their latest fixture but equally continued to meet a defence determined to register their first clean sheet of the 2019/20 campaign.
Next up for Mansfield is a return to One Call Stadium as they welcome Leyton Orient on Tuesday evening.
STAGS XI: Logan (GK), White, Benning, Pearce ©, Bishop (Khan 89’), MacDonald (Smith 86’), Maynard (Hamilton 72’), Tomlinson, Sweeney, Gordon, Rose.
UNUSED SUBS: Stone (GK), Clarke, Sterling-James, Law.
CARLISLE XI: Collin (GK) ©, Elliott, Iredale, Thomas (Hope 79’), Jones, Scougall (Olomola 72’), McKirdy (Sorensen 55’), Webster, Bridge, Loft, Knight-Percival.
UNUSED SUBS: Gray (GK), Mellish, Branthwaite, Sagaf.
REFEREE: Carl Boyeson
ASSISTANTS: Mark Cuncliffe & Billy Smallwood
FOURTH OFFICIAL: Adam Herczeg
ATTENDANCE: 4,576 (292 away)
