Mansfield Town were dealt a 3-0 defeat against Cheltenham Town at One Call Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Jonte Smith opened the scoring just after the half-hour mark when he was allowed to roam freely and nod home.
Into the second period, Will Boyle doubled the advantage with another header before seeing Alex Addai wrap up the contest with a calm finish late on.
John Dempster named four changes beginning with Bobby Olejnik returning to the starting lineup in place of Conrad Logan.
Midfielders Neal Bishop and Alex MacDonald were also welcomed back as Alistair Smith and Kellan Gordon dropped out, the latter due to injury, while Mal Benning deputised for Krystian Pearce.
Mansfield made an enterprising start to proceedings in NG18 and should have been awarded a dangerous free-kick early on.
Nicky Maynard did well to skip inbetween two defenders and, when he ought to have been clean through, Charlie Raglan pulled the striker down without any repercussions.
Soon after, returning ‘keeper Olejnik showed his worth as a low, sprawling save denied Alex Addai who had found space for a shot.
The Robins had been awarded their first corner just minutes later, yet when the home side attempted to break it was Jake Doyle-Hayes’ cynical foul that halted any such opportunity to counter.
John Dempster’s men were being lifted by a buoyant One Call crowd and did have the ball in the back of the net on 25 minutes.
Andy Cook was able to prod home from point-blank range but play was quickly pulled back after the frontman was adjudged to have fouled Scott Flinders in the process.
And instead it was the hosts who fell behind in the 32nd minute. A pinpoint delivery from Doyle-Hayes was met by Smith in the centre, who guided the ball home.
Despite an energetic opening, the amber and blue faced an uphill battle for the remaining hour.
Maynard was again hoisted to the ground – this time winning the rightful free-kick – but Jacob Mellis’ effort had the sting extracted as it clipped the five-man Cheltenham wall.
The summer signing had not given up his attempts to restore parity and managed to flash a fizzing effort inches wide of the far post as the Stags entered the break facing a one-goal deficit.
They highlighted their intentions from the restart but it was the away side that notched the second goal on Saturday afternoon.
Another delivery from wide caught Mansfield unaware and Boyle was on hand to double his side’s lead.
The visitors had subsequently been forced back by a constant flow of attacks as Mansfield sought to pull it back.
Cook demonstrated neat footwork, turning his man inside then out, but the subsequent pass was hooked clear before substitute Otis Khan could connect.
And the Stags were dealt a killer blow just four minutes from time.
Addai, who had looked lively throughout, was slipped through and made no mistake as he rolled the ball underneath Olejnik to rubber-stamp the victory for Cheltenham.
Next up for the amber and blue is a trip to face Crewe Alexandra in Sky Bet League two on Saturday 14 December.
STAGS XI: Olejnik (GK), Benning (Sterling-James 74’), Preston, Bishop (Khan 62’), MacDonald, Mellis, Maynard, Shaughnessy, Sweeney ©, Cook (Rose 71’), Hamilton.
UNUSED SUBS: Logan (GK), Clarke, Knowles, Smith.
CHELTENHAM XI: Flinders (GK), Long (Horton 90+3’), Hussey ©, Raglan, Clements, Broom, Boyle, Addai, Doyle-Hayes, Greaves, Smith.
UNUSED SUBS: Lovett (GK), Sheaf, Debayo, Lloyd, Reilly, Ince.
REFEREE: Sam Purkiss
ASSISTANTS: Kevin Morris & Christopher Ward
FOURTH OFFICIAL: Lisa Rashid
ATTENDANCE: 3,715 (157 away)
