Jordan Bowery scored his first goal of the season as Mansfield overcame spirited Walsall with a hard-fought 2-1 win at One Call Stadium.
Stags extended their remarkable unbeaten record to 19 games in all competitions.
The path to victory was far from easy as Walsall made it difficult for Nigel Clough’s side, hustling and harassing throughout the 90.
Aden Flint put Mansfield ahead following a corner before former Stags’ midfielder Ryan Stirk drew Walsall level in the second-half.
But Bowery’s 72nd minute goal proved decisive.
Stags were unchanged from Tuesday’s 4-1 winning rout at Harrogate.
Defender Baily Cargill, who missed the encounter due to suspension, returned to the substitutes’ bench.
Mansfield registered the game’s first shot inside the fourth minute. Midfielder Lewis Reed sent a delightful pass on to the right channel for Jordan Bowery, who found Ollie Clarke 18 yards from goal. But his well-struck effort was quickly charged down by a Walsall defender.
Silky forward Davis Kellor-Dunn then tried his luck after a mazy run towards the middle before directing a 22-yard attempt straight down the throat of Saddlers’ goalkeeper Owen Evans.
And despite Walsall pressing well in the early stages, Stags managed to find a way through via a 16th minute corner.
Following George Maris’ delivery to the far side of the goal area, a towering Aden Flint headed down into the six-yard box, with goalkeeper Evans having to punch away at the second attempt. Akins was quickest to react to nod back into the goal area, and Keillor-Dunn got a deft touch to send it into Flint’s path to smash home from two yards.
Stags were forced into a 29th minute change when Lucas Akins appeared to pick up an injury and was replaced by James Gale.
Stags began to press their foot on the accelerator and on 36 minutes Calum Macdonald laid an inviting low ball across the box for Maris to blast goalwards, which missed the target with the aid of a deflection.
Moments later, Evans had to beat away Keillor-Dunn’s strike before the referee brandished two yellow cards for fouls in quick succession: one to Stags’ defender Lewis Brunt and the other to Walsall’s Tom Knowles.
In stoppage time at the end of the first-half, Saddlers’ frontman Danny Johnson turned to shoot well wide from 22 yards in a rare strike at the home goal.
Mansfield should have doubled their advantage three minutes later when Gale robbed Donervon Daniels of possession to break into the Walsall box. But his square pass for Maris could have been more precise, and the midfielder was unable to unleash an effective shot.
At the break, Lewis Brunt was replaced by Baily Cargill, in Stags’ second change.
Two minutes into the second-half, Mansfield saw another opportunity go begging when Aaron Lewis fired over the bar from 15 yards following neat footwork by Keillor-Dunn to provide the assist.
Walsall drew level on 52 minutes with their first shot on goal.
Tom Knowles found space on the inside right to cross into the box and an unmarked Ryan Stirk was allowed space and time from seven yards to pick his spot against his former club.
Brandon Comley was then shown a yellow card for a foul on Keillor-Dunn on 59 minutes, before Gale was next to enter the notebook for simulation a minute later.
As the contest ticked past the hour, Stirk let fly from 30 yards, but his rasping drive flew over the bar.
On 63 minutes, Will Swan climbed off the bench for Mansfield to replace George Maris.
Walsall had been probing but Bowery embarked on a promising run on 70 minutes before sending a brilliant ball into the box, though no one was able to meet it.
Bowery wasn’t to be denied on 72 minutes as Stags restored their lead.
Swan did well to pick him out on the right of the box, and Stags’ number 9 hit a shot which cracked against the ground and in off the post.
Mansfield regained their confidence and Swan saw a right-footed attempt fly wide soon after.
Walsall made their first change on 78 minutes, as Isaac Hutchinson made way for Douglas James-Taylor and a minute later, Ollie Clarke’s last act was to lash a ferocious 25 yard shot narrowly wide before being replaced by Hiram Boateng.
Stirk was then substituted for Jamille Matt as Walsall looked for a way back in.
Saddlers’ goalkeeper Evans was required on 84 minutes to beat away a curling effort from Keillor-Dunn and Boateng saw his hit from closer range well blocked minutes later.
Stags then managed the game well in the closing stages to secure a fourth successive victory in all competitions.
STAGS: Pym, Bowery, Flint, Brunt (Cargill HT), Macdonald, Reed, Lewis, Clarke (Boateng 79), Maris (Swan 63), Keillor-Dunn, Akins (Gale 29)
UNUSED SUBS: Flinders, Johnson, Williams
WALSALL: Evans, Okagbue, Gordon, Daniels, Riley, Hutchinson (James-Taylor 78), Knowles (Allen 88), Comley, Stirk (Matt 83), Tierney, Johnson
UNUSED SUBS: Smith, Foulkes, Griffiths
REFEREE: David Rock
ATTENDANCE: 7,641 (778 Walsall fans)
