Dominant Mansfield Town chalk up first ever win over Sutton United

Nigel Clough’s promotion-seeking Stags, who had seen table-topping Stockport and second-placed Barrow win on Friday night, had lost both of their previous trips to Gander Green Lane and never beaten them at home either.

But goals from veterans Stephen Quinn, his first for the season, and Lucas Akins’ ninth of the campaign secured back-to-back away wins for the visitors.

Matt Gray was sacked by the Football League basements boys following the worst result in the club’s history, 8-0 to the league leaders, last weekend.

And his assistant Jason Goodliffe suffered defeat in his first game in interim charge.

Clough made a solitary change from the side which beat Crawley last weekend.

Irish midfielder Quinn replaced Rhys Oates in the starting line-up for the trip to the capital.

There was a slow start to proceedings on a bitterly cold pre-Christmas afternoon, with Jordan Bowery’s early wayward volley the warm up act for what was to come.

Akins tested Dean Bouzanis after he turned his defender on the edge of the box.

And the Stags hit the front in the 25th minute as Callum Johnson’s delicious delivery found Quinn at the back post and he duly headed home his first goal since April.

Ollie Clarke could only blast over the bar before maestro Davis Keillor-Dunn’s fine 25-yard strike hit the woodwork as Stags pushed for a second in a one-sided first half.

Down the other end, Christy Pym’s was finally called into action as he superbly tipped Harry Smith’s header over via the crossbar in Sutton's first attack two minutes from the break.

Both sides missed chances early in the second half.

Keillor-Dunn fired narrowly wide before Smith squandered a chance from close range when he turned over the bar.

Scot Keillor-Dunn saw a 25-yard free-kick beaten to safety by Bouzanis as the Stags really upped the pace.

And Akins wrapped up the points with 15 minutes to go as he latched onto George Maris’ threaded pass and finished with aplomb with a powerful rising shot under the near angle, Jordan Bowery having started the move by winning the ball in midfield.

SUTTON: Bouzanis, Jackson, Kizzi, Hart, Milsom (Fadahunsi, 78), Coley (Pereira, 45), Clay (Angol, 78), N'Guessan (O'Brien, 45), Patrick, Beautyman, Smith. SUBS NOT USED: Arnold, Gape.

STAGS: Pym, Johnson (Swan, 88), Flint, Cargill, Bowery, Maris, Brunt, Keillor-Dunn (Reed, 70), Quinn (McLaughlin, 70), Clarke (Williams, 88), Akins (Oates, 77). SUBS NOT USED: Flinders, MacDonald.

REFEREE: Alex Chilowicz

ATTENDANCE: 2,762 (442 away).