Lee looked lively in a second half substitute's appearance, but it was the performance of two of new manager Billy McEwan's signings which also caught the eye in the 1-0 victory at Hucknall Town - giving the boss a winning start to his managerial career at Field Mill.

• To view photos from the match by Chad's Angela Ward, go to the gallery

Michael Blackwood was busy, direct and struck the only goal of the game six minutes into the second half, while veteran forward Mark Stallard also showed his guile and experience.

At the heart of the defence new signing Adie Moses was solid and trialist Alan O'Hare looked a good partner alongside him.

The match was competitive from the start with the Stags victim of a few late challenges. However, there were few goalmouth incidents to cheer the estimated 300plus Stags fans in an 881-strong crowd in blustery conditions, but McEwan said: "It was a worthwhile exercise . . . and it was nice to win.

"But this was only shadow boxing, the main bill is yet to come."

Five of the trialists started the match and five appeared as substitutes as a total of 20 players featured in the match for Mansfield.

Afterwards McEwan said all the newcomers had done well and that he would not be making a decision on any of their futures after just one match.

He told Chad: "We will make no decisions on just one game, that is not fair. We have another game on Tuesday and two more next weekend.

"One or two of the trialists did well, others did ok.

"You have got to realise they were under pressure, these guys are looking for a job and there was a bit of pressure on them.

"I can understand that and you have got to be fair to them.

"There will be more coming in . . . I am looking for players all the time."

The trialists who started were:

Gary Silk (24), right back, who has made just under 100 Football Legaue appearances after beginning his career as a trainee at Portsmouth. He was at Notts County last season and has also played for Boston United and Cambridge.

Alan O'Hare (25) is the one trialist already mentioned in public by boss Mcewan as a target. An Irishman, he has been training with the club since the takeover after being released by Chesterfield. The former Bolton trainee can play either left-back or in the middle of the defence and did both at Hucknall.

Paul Hurst (33), a vastly experienced left back, who has made 494 appearances for Rotherham United and gained Conference experience in a loan spell at Burton last season.

Gavin Hurren (22), centre midfielder, a former team-mate of Blackwood at Kidderminster where he has made more than 75 appearances.

Welshman Rob Duffy (25), a striker who has played just a handful of games for Rushden.

The trialists who appeared as substitutes were:

Mark McGregor (31), defender, was released by Port Vale at the end of last season and has also played for Blackpool, Burnley and Wreham, amassing almost 400 league games.

Paddy Gamble (19), goalkeeper formerly of Nottingham Forest who has spent loan spells at York City and last season at Stalybridge Celtic.

Matt Somner (25), centre midfield, was released by Notts County at the end of last season after more than 50 appearances. He has also played at Aldershot, Bristol Rovers, Cambridge and Brentford.

Tom Shaw (21), midfielder, left Rushden in the summer after 50 games.

Jason Lee (37), striker, well known locally after playing for Nottingham Forest, Notts County and Chesterfield. Was released by Notts County at the end of lats season.

Afterwards, talking about Lee the manager added: "He phoned me up and said that he wanted to come and join us. We will not turn anyone away, we will have a look at them.

"I though he did alright."

After a scrappy start to the match, Stallard headed a Blackwood free-kick wide and Hucknall keeper James Lindley raced off his line to deny Paul Hurst.

Blackwood and Stallard combined well with Lindley having to save at the feet of the eventual matchwinner.

An error by Hurst allowed ex-Stags striker Danny bacon a shot, but he shot tamely straight at White in the 16th minute.

Nathan Arnold, Gavin Hurren and Jon D'Laryea linked up well in one fine passing move and then Blackwood was unlucky to see a shot across the face of goal just bobble wide of the far post from a clever Stallard flick.

Two former Stags players almost combined to give Hucknall the lead, Danny Sleath's corner headed wide by Bacon.

The corner was one of several inswinging flag kicks on a gusty wind to trouble Stags keeper Jason White in the first half.

At the other end Blackwood found Hurst and his cross picked out Duffy, but the final header was comfortably saved.

Trialist Hurren went off with a groin injury moments before half-time, before a host of changes during the break - and then in the second half. At one point Hurst, who had been replaced at half-time, returned midway through the second half.

At the beginning of the second half the Stags found some fluency and passing football for around 15 minutes - possibly their best spell of the match.

The winner came in the 51st minute when Blackwood fired into the left-hand corner from eight yards after a link-up with Rob Duffy - and a few minutes later almost grabbed a second before Wilson's challenge forced his final shot wide.

A good knock down by Lee allowed youngster Ryan Goward a shot at goal and then the experienced striker set up Lewis Trimmer, but he fired straight at the keeper.

Late on Lee's diving header narrowly missed the target from a Jamie McGhee cross.

At the other end, trialist keeper Gamble had little to do, though at one point he quickly raced off his line to clear the danger.

And in the 75th minute he should have been tested, but Sleath failed to hit the target with a header from a Wilson cross.

At the final whistle manager McEwan had all his squad together on the pitch for a debrief.

Then he told Chad: "It was a good workout, but you could tell we needed a game.

"We have not been able to train on a full sized pitch upto now and the majority of players are new to each other.

"Some have also not played for a long time. Michael (Blackwood), that was his first game since March. They all worked very hard and you can't be too critical because of the circumstances, but we have got to get more organisation into them.

"I just ask that the fans are patient. Rome was not built in a day. We have got to have patience as a group and as fans."

McEwan said that he was aiming for a squad of at least 20 players by the start of the season, but warned that some may be at Field Mill on short-term contracts or a non-contract basis while he made a final decision about their futures.

"I could fill the club with 30 to 40 players and it is easy to sign players, but I have got to make sure that they are the right ones for this club.

"We want a squad of 20, but sometimes you can?t always have it.

"What you want and what you get can sometimes be two very different things."

On a personal note back in charge of a team in a competitive match for the first time since his departure from York, he added: "It is good to be back, you do miss it. I have been in the game for 40 years, it is in my blood, it is like a drug.

"You need a challenge and this is a challenge. But look at this club as a whole . . . things are changing for the better, the facilities off the pitch are improving, the business side is improving already.

"The fans have been excellent. I have been in seven days a week and spoken to some. They are optimistic about where the club is going to go, but it will take time. This will be a smashing club, but we are at rock bottom now.

"When I came we have just two contracted senior players, Nathan Arnold and Jason White. This is a McAlpine job, a massive rebuilding job.

"But I have to be careful we get the right players in as pennies are tight. I have been doing my homework on these players (trialists), they don't just arrive on your doorstep willy-nilly.

"We need players with the right character who want to come and play for us.

MANSFIELD TOWN: White (Gamble 45mins), Silk (McGregor 45mins), Moses, O'Hara, Hurst (Wood 45mins), Arnold (Trimmer 69mins), D'Laryea (Shaw 45mins), Hurren (Somner 44mins), Blackwood (Goward 61mins), Duffy (McGhee 61mins), Stallard (Lee 45mins).

HUCKNALL TOWN: Lindley, Ottley, Smith L, Wilson, Winder, Sucharewycz (Stevenson 68mins), Mitchell (Kettle 64mins), Bacon (Smith M, 59mins), Knox (Marshall 71mins), Ricketts (Ward 71mins), Sleath (Burke 86mins).