Battling Mansfield Town comfortably beaten as classy Cardiff City go top of the table​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Nigel Clough's side, missing several injured key names, gave their all in the Welsh capital in front of 1,400 noisy away fans.

But the Bluebirds dominated, netting once in the first half and twice after the break with Stags only troubling home keeper Nathan Trott once and outstanding visiting keeper Liam Roberts making a string of good saves to prevent a more painful scoreline against a side packed with Championship quality players.

Mansfield failed to test Trott in a largely one-way first half, but kept an excellent shape, defended well and would have gone in deservedly all square save for their one major error when they switched off at a corner on 34 minutes and allowed Will Fish to head home at the near post.

The Stags were more of a threat going forward after the break, but they were finally undone by a fine counter by the Bluebirds 20 minutes from time as Yousef Salech headed in the home side's second.

Cian Ashford then put the icing on the cake for Cardiff with a well-worked third three minutes from time.

The Stags side showed two changes with Nathan Moriah-Welsh and Elliott Hewitt replacing the injured Rhys Oates and Joe Gardner.

City made five changes with Perry Ng, Dylan Lawlor, David Turnbull, Callum Robinson and Cian Ashford coming into the side.

Stags comfortably soaked up some early City pressure and then won a corner on five minutes, which came to nothing.

City resumed their pressure and Ashford put a low ball across the face of the visitors' goal with no one there to reach it.

Then a Salech header was held by Roberts before McDonnell had a first time 20-yard shot blocked at the other end with 11 minutes on the clock.

But a minute later Stags lost Knoyle to injury and had to be replaced by Bowery.

Knoyle had been touch and go to play in the week with a knock from last weekend.

The first real chance from a route one move from the Bluebirds as Wintle's lofted a long ball forward towards Salech in the box and, with Roberts off his line, his looping header towards the inviting net was wide on 16 minutes.

There was a bigger let-off for Stags three minutes later after Bowery gave away a free kick on the left.

Turnbull drilled it in on low on target from an angle and Roberts made a great save before Blake-Tracy quickly hooked away the loose ball from almost on the goal line.

On 21 minutes Salech ghosted in at the far post to get a head on a Salech cross but headed into the sidenetting, then Davies was well over from 18 yards as the home side continued to press.

On the half-hour a neat Salech nod-down in the box just evaded Robinson for the finish.

Roberts was forced into a superb save on 34 minutes after Turnbull let fly with a rocket effort from 35 yards.

But from the corner the big breakthrough came. Bagan sent it over from the right and slack marking allowed Fish to guide home a header at the near post.

McLaughlin hacked down Ashford in a tussle on 40 minutes to earn the game's first booking.

Mansfield did enjoy a little late pressure and a corner at the other end just before the break, but they went in behind.

Cargill replaced the cautioned McLaughlin for the second half, which began in heavy rain, Blake-Tracy pushed out to play left wing back.

After a more even start to the second half, Stags forced a first real save of the contest from Trott on 52 minutes.

McDonnell fed the ball in low from the left to Evans and his lay-off on the edge of the box invited Oshilaja to fire in a low shot that Trott did well to stop down to his left.

Roberts was hurt in a collision with Salech but was fine to continue.

Oshilaja gave away a free kick in a dangerous position 20 yards out and Stags were happy to see Ng's effort go straight into the wall.

Mansfield were close to an equaliser again on 59 minutes as Blake-Tracy headed a Lewis corner on target and, in trying to help it on, deflected it wide of the target.

Robinson was booked for leaving the field too slowly on 62 minutes as City made a triple change.

Soon after a Reed shot was blocked with Stags shouting for a penalty for handball, but play continued.

Akins took over from Hewitt at right wing back on 67 minutes with Stags pressing much harder now.

But Cardiff struck again with 20 minutes to go on a superb counter attack.

Lawlor picked out a fine pass over the head of Cargill to put Kpakio into space on the right of the box and his far post cross was expertly headed home by Salech.

Salech could have added a third a minute later as Roberts made a hash of a Bowery backpass and laid it on a plate with his outstretched leg but recovered brilliantly to block Salech's finish.

A minute later Roberts had to turn a Lawlor header round from a corner.

A last throw of the dice for Mansfield saw Evans and Reed withdrawn 15 minutes from the end and Dwyer and McAdam sent on.

But it was Roberts who was called back into action on 77 minutes as he turned over a close range header from Salech in spectacular fashion from Bagan's cross.

From the corner, Colwill headed over as the Welsh side's class and superiority began to shine through.

So it was no surprise when they went 3-0 up three minutes from time as Robertson slipped a pass through the legs of McDonnell to put Ashford through on goal.

His first shot was superbly saved by the over-worked Roberts but he could do nothing as Ashford turned the loose ball inside the near post.

Lewis was hurt in stoppage time and, with all the subs made, was a passenger as he ambled around, unable to contribute. And with almost the last kick, Bowery seemed to hurt himself as he sliced a cross behind to end a day to forget for Mansfield.

CARDIFF: Trott, Ng (Kpakio 61), Fish, Lawlor, Bagan, Wintle, Turnbull (Robertson 80), Robinson (Willock 61), Ashford, Davies (J. Colwill 61), Salech (Kellyman 90). SUBS NOT USED: Osho, Chambers.

STAGS: Roberts, Knoyle (Bowery 12), Hewitt (Akins 67), Oshilaja, Blake-Tracy, McLaughlin (Cargill HT), Reed ( McAdam 75), McDonnell, Lewis, Moriah-Welsh, Evans (Dwyer 75). SUBS NOT USED: Mason, Goodman.

REFEREE: Ben Atkinson.