Jordan Bowery netted his first goal of the season as Mansfield Town turned on the style to beat plucky Barrow 1-0 at Holker Street.
In a dogged, fast-paced affair, Stags earned a fourth successive league victory away from home to maintain their impressive form.
Stags turned up the heat in the second half following a first 45 which saw defences on top.
Jordan Bowery was drafted in for the injured Kellan Gordon at right wing-back in the only change made from Stags’ last league match, a 2-2 draw at home to Hartlepool United eight days ago.
The game started at a frenetic pace and Bowery sent a cross into the arms of experienced Barrow goalkeeper Paul Farman within the opening 15 seconds.
Five minuters later, Mansfield defender Riley Harbottle upended Robbie Gotts 25 yards from goal but Ben Whitfield smashed his free-kick into Stags’ defensive wall.
The first quarter of an hour yielded few chances in a hard-fought opening period.
Stags engineered their first real opportunity on 28 minutes.
Elliott Hewitt, on the right hand side, arrowed a cross into the box, but Oli Hawkins’ directed a volley over the angle of crossbar and post from 15 yards.
At the other end, Harrison Neal lined one up from 30 yards before seeing his 30-yard crashing drive fly narrowly off target.
On 32 minutes, Stags’ skipper Ollie Clarke was the first name into the referee’s notebook for dissent and soon after Harbottle also received a yellow card for a foul on the halfway line.
With five minutes of the first half remaining, Stephen Quinn lashed an effort into the back of a Barrow defender to earn Stags’ first corner, but it came to nothing.
Nigel Clough’s men increased their intensity and won another flag-kick from which Maris chested down before letting fly a rasping volley which hit a Barrow player to spin behind for another corner..
At the break, James Perch replaced Stephen McLaughlin in the game’s first change.
The alteration saw Hewitt start the second period at left-wing back, with Perch taking his original position on the right of a defensive trio.
Three minutes after the restart, Clarke saw his long range drive sail wide of the left hand post as Stags started the second period at break-neck speed.
Nigel Clough’s men racked up two corners in quick succession and deservedly broke the deadlock from the second flag-kick.
In the 50th minute, Quinn delivered superbly and Hawkins rose highest to head against the bar, with Bowery in the right place at the right time to apply the finish from close range.
Stags maintained heavy pressure on the Barrow goal and Bowery then turned provider when he picked out Quinn at the far post who volleyed over from six yards.
In a rare foray forward for Barrow, Josh Gordon saw his sizzling low effort well held by Christy Pym.
The Bluebirds' woodwork was rattled in the 56th minute as Mansfield continued to cause more problems from corners. This time, the hosts inadvertently headed against their own bar.
Stags were well in the ascendency and Quinn then pounced on slack play from Sam Foley just outside the home box, but the Irishman snatched at his first time effort and it landed in the palms of Farman.
On 63 minutes, Bowery met Hewitt’s left-sided cross only to see his header fly wide.
Five minutes later, Hiram Boateng replaced Ollie Clarke and on 68 minutes, John-Joe O’Toole came on for Riley Harbottle.
A minute after climbing off the subs’ bench, Barrow’s Tom White was shown a yellow card for preventing George Lapslie from surging forward.
And then O’Toole’s name was written into the book for chopping down Ben Whitfield in his tracks.
With seven minutes of normal time left, youngsters James Gale and Jason Law were introduced for Stephen Quinn and George Maris.
Stags had Pym to thank on 87 minutes for keeping their lead intact.
Billy Waters caught sight of goal and his shot took a wicked bobble which Pym managed to meet magnificently with one hand to turn behind for a corner.
Barrow tried in vain to break Stags’ resistance in seven minutes of added time, but Nigel Clough’s charges held strong to earn another three points on the road.
BARROW: Farman, Brough, Canavan, Gordon, Neal, Gotts, Foley (White 72), Warren, Moyo (Waters 58), Ray, Whitfield
UNUSED SUBS: Lillis, McClelland, Nwabuokei, Kenlock
STAGS: Pym, Bowery, Hewitt, Hawkins, Harbottle (O’Toole 68), McLaughlin (Perch 46), Clarke (Boateng 67), Maris (Law 83), Quinn (Gale 83), Lapslie, Akins
UNUSED SUBS: Flinders, Collin
REFEREE: Tom Nield
ATTENDANCE: 3,713 (291 Stags’ fans)
