Nicky Maynard’s brace alongside goals from Omari Sterling-James and Danny Rose helped Mansfield Town to a 4-2 victory against Bradford Park Avenue.
It was a match filled with goals and, despite the eventual victory for the Stags, it was the hosts who struck first through Garry Thompson.
Sterling-James and Rose – introduced for the second 45 – turned proceedings around within six minutes of one another, before Maynard’s double thereafter wrapped up the victory.
Mansfield featured two separate lineups in each half, comprising of both first team and U21 figures, as the road to match sharpness continued.
The first-half XI also included a welcome return to action for Hayden White – after a lengthy spell on the sidelines that began in January.
And John Dempster’s side almost endured the perfect start.
Andy Cook linked up smartly with Otis Khan inside the hosts’ penalty area, however, after being on the receiving end of the one-two, the midfielder lifted the ball over the crossbar.
Instead, for all of the Stags’ endeavours, it was Bradford Park who took the lead on 12 minutes.
Striker Thompson latched onto a square pass inside Aidan Stone’s area and was given the simple task of slotting home from six yards.
Cook this time came close to levelling proceedings, yet could not direct a header goalwards from Jason Law’s corner kick.
White was substituted on the half-hour mark, after gaining some valuable minutes under his belt, to be replaced by Sterling-James.
The substitute sparked into life within a minute of his introduction – forcing a corner from a low, teasing delivery.
There was real concern for Noah Stokes soon after as he suffered nasty clash that left him needing to be stretchered off.
Into the second period, a Mansfield side with wholesale changes took little over four minutes to restore parity.
Jacob Mellis found Sterling-James and after a neat first touch the number 24 calmly dinked the ball beyond Avenue’s ‘keeper.
And in the 56th minute the tables had been well and truly turned.
Maynard escaped the attentions of his mark long enough to pick out his strike partner, Rose, who was able to guide the ball into an empty net and put his side in the driving seat.
The Stags were not finished there, though, as highlighted on the hour mark via the head of Maynard.
The newly-acquired striker met Mal Benning’s set-piece delivery and powered the ball home despite the best attempts of the home side’s shot-stopper.
Maynard then presented CJ Hamilton with his first opportunity, but his curling strike was well blocked in timely fashion as it was sent towards the far corner.
Goals continued to flow in Bradford with Elliot Holmes pulling one back for the visitors on 74 minutes.
He drove the ball beyond Conrad Logan after possession fell kindly on the right-hand side of the penalty area.
Will Tomlinson sought to restore the Stags’ two-goal cushion instantaneously, yet his long distance effort flashed marginally wide.
But Dempster’s second-half outfit did eventually restore their spacious lead when Maynard was set free.
In the 83rd minute, he coolly fired the ball home to secure a brace and make sure of the win for the amber and blue.
Mellis found the underside of the bar with a thunderous effort but it was hooked away by the home side to allow the referee to end Thursday’s pre-season clash.
Mansfield again face a quick turnaround as they travel to Alfreton Town this forthcoming Saturday.
STAGS FIRST-HALF XI: Stone (GK), White (Sterling-James 30’), Preston, Bishop, Khan, Sweeney, Cook, Smith, Law, Knowles, Stokes (Gibbens 44’).
STAGS SECOND-HALF XI: Logan (GK), Clarke, Pearce, Gibbens, Benning, Sterling-James, Tomlinson, Mellis, Hamilton, Rose, Maynard.
BRADFORD PA XI: Trialist A, Trialist B, Lund, Trialist C, Moran, Hedley, Hurst, Rathbone, Thompson, Knight, Clarke.
REFEREE: Sam Barrott
ASSISTANTS: Danny Bennett & Akeel Ahmed
ATTENDANCE: 246
