After a solid, workmanlike but uninspiring first half display in which Mansfield were deservedly level, it was the Gulls who stepped up a gear after the break and coasted home with goals from Roscoe Dsane on 54 minutes and Steve Woods on 69 minutes.

It was another dreadfully disappointing afternoon for the Stags' away faithful on their longest journey of the season as they spent 90 minutes in freezing cold driving rain to see their side fail to produce a single shot on target.

• McEwan slams sorry Stags

Torquay are now unbeaten in 11 games, nine of them wins, while Stags continue to lack penetration or inspiration.

New loan signing Adnan Ahmed came straight in for his Stags debut and was one of the few successes on the day with a neat and tidy and always involved display.

The Tranmere Rovers midfielder replaced Gavin Hurren in a starting line-up that showed one other change with Forest loanee Emile Sinclair dropping to the bench and replaced up front by O'Connor.

A Lee flick almost put Arnold in in the opening seconds but the youngster stumbled as he turned and couldn't reach the ball in time.

Woods then cut out an inviting pass from Ahmed that also might have sent Arnold away.

The Gulls's first threat saw Carayol show good pace to burst past Silk on the left and send in a cross that Moses had to hook clear.

In matching yellow boots for his yellow kit, Carayol was quickly looking to be the danger man as Silk blocked his shot and then soon after Moses cleared another low cross from him.

Thompson got goalside of Chanot to fire in a low shot that Gamble did well to turn aside not knowing the referee was about to blow for Thompson having fouled Chanot in the process.

Lee was then warned for his aerial challenge which left Hodges clutching his nose in some pain.

Ahmed had enough time and space to get away a low 30 yard shot on 11 minutes that was always skidding wide. D'Laryea was also wide from distance soon after following good footwork from Arnold in a tight spot on the left wing.

Somner was lucky not to give away a free kick 18 yards from goal and in a central position when the referee played on after he appeared to hack down Thompson with his sliding tackle.

Gamble was also lucky when his sliced clearance was hit wide of a gaping goal by Thompson from 20 yards with Gamble out of position.

Stags forced two corners on the trot but Jeannin failed to beat the first man with either of two poor kicks.

Somner was warned for a body check on Dsane but the cards stayed in the referee's pocket and Lee rose well to powerfully head away Nicholson's free kick.

Two promising Stags attacks were halted by offside flags as the game waited for its first goal.

On 30 minutes we had the first moment of genuine quality as Dsane beat three men on the edge of the box before rifling a low shot to Gamble's right which the keeper got down to grab.

D'Laryea was well off target with a hurried effort at the other end a minute later.

O'Connor was only just over on 34 minutes with a dipping shot after Somner's tackle had won him the ball.

Stags were enjoying a good spell now and Somner's dangerous low ball in was hooked clear.

Ahmed should have marked his debut with a goal on 39 minutes after Jeannin put him in space in the box only to see the Tranmere youngster lift his finish over the bar from a good position.

Dsane did well to keep the ball in play on the right and cut inside, Moses throwing himself into a block to prevent him crowning the move with a goal.

Stags soaked up two home corners and a dangerous Nicholson free kick and, just before the break, Dsane was a couple of feet wide of Gamble's left post with a low effort.

So the half ended scoreless with Stags certainly worth being at least level, despite not playing particularly fluently. Sadly it went downhill from this point on.

Hargreaves had a shot blocked as Mansfield made hard work of clearing the Gulls' first corner of the second half. However, their second flag kick curled harmlessly behind from Carayol.

But the Gulls were ahead on 54 minutes. Carayol ran at the visitors' defence on the right and came inside two before crossing low to the edge of the six yard box where Dsane stretched to poke home a low finish.

Mansfield were really under pressure now as United forced two more successive corners.

A Nicholson free kick from the left sailed right through the six yard box before going out for a corner. And from that 69th minute corner the Gulls doubled their advantage.

Stags failed to clear the low corner from the right and the ball bobbled up in front of goal where Woods reacted quickest to head home from almost point blank range - a dreadful goal to concede.

Stallard replaced Lee at this stage but Stags now faced a mountain with only 19 minutes left.

Sills thought he was away as he got goalside of Moses on 74 minutes but an offside flag was raised. He went on and got away a low shot after the whistle which resulted in the game's first yellow card.

Chanot's last ditch tackle stopped Sills in the box as United won another corner which Gamble punched away.

O'Connor was so wide with a 20 yard effort Jeannin had to keep it in from being a throw. Stags did win a third corner but it was easily cleared.

Sinclair replaced Ahmed as desperate Stags went three up front but it was home side who won two more corners and a dangerous long throw which Silk headed away from the edge of the six yard box.

TORQUAY: Bevan, Nicholson, Woods, Mansell, Sills (Charren 90), Dsane (Stevens 90), Wroe, Thompson, Hargreaves, Hodges, Carayol. Subs not used: Benyon, Adams, Ellis.

STAGS: Gamble, Silk, D'Laryea, Moses, Arnold, Somner, Lee (Stalllard 71), Ahmed (Sinclair 81), Chanot, Jeannin, O'Connor. Subs not used: O'Hare, Hurren, Herriott.

REFEREE: Mr Brendan Malone.

ATTENDANCE: 2,267.