Flying start for magnificent Mansfield Town as they win opener at Barnsley

With no other game, Stags duly went top of League One on the opening night.

In a magnificent first half-hour Stephen Quinn and former Millwall marksman Lee Gregory did the damage with two goals in five minutes before Tykes’ captain Luca Connell pulled one back with a very fortunate deflection.

But Nigel Clough’s side then withstood a barrage in the second half to secure a fine victory at Oakwell - in their first meeting at the ground since 2002.

The Stags started brightly in their first third-tier fixture for two decades.

Lucas Akins had the first sight of goal as Jordan Bowery found him inside the box, but the striker failed to turn the ball on target.

Bright spark Keanu Baccus, on debut having signed from St Mirren, looked dangerous in the early stages and saw an eighth minute strike chalked off for offside, curling home from 20 yards, the ball possibly going in off the head of Deji Oshilaja en route.

But over 3,000 travelling Stags’ supporters did not have to wait long for their first goal of the season.

Quinn broke the deadlock with a superb strike from 18 yards after Davis Keillor-Dunn’s corner was cleared into his path as he chested the ball down and fired a fine volley into the top corner across the keeper in the 13th minute.

And within the blink of an eye marksman Gregory, back for a second spell at the club, doubled the lead as he headed home from Baccus’ inviting first-time right wing cross at the near post.

With their backs against the wall, Connell went close to pulling one back as he fired just wide of the mark.

But the Tykes’ skipper did net in the 33rd minute as he wrong-footed Christy Pym with a deflected strike that clipped Aden Flint and rolled agonisingly inside the post.

It was a goal that hadn't looked like coming with Stags so much in charge, but it rallied the Tykes and Adam Phillips and Max Watters both squandered chances to draw the hosts level before the break.

Inevitably, Darrell Clarke’s side came out with renewed vigour after the break.

They could have levelled when Connell blasted wide before Watters missed a big chance when he fired straight at Pym from close range.

The Stags’ best chance came when Frazer Blake-Tracy fired across the face of goal.

Pym, who was booked earlier in the second half for time wasted, produced a fine save to ensure the points when he kept Aiden Marsh out.

After Hiram Boateng went close, Clough’s charges could have put themselves clear with five minutes left as Will Evans nodded wide at full stretch at the back post.

But the visitors held firm to secure a huge three points on the opening day.

BARNSLEY: Killip, Earl, Roberts, de Gevigney, Gent (Russell, 26), Connell (Lofthouse, 77), Phillips, Craig (Hourihane, 62), O’Keeffe (Cotter, 62), Cosgrove, Watters (Marsh, 62). Unused subs: Smith, Lopata.

STAGS: Pym, Blake-Tracey, Oshilaja, Flint, Bowery, Reed, Quinn (Boateng, 59), Keillor-Dunn (Nichols, 90), Baccus (Lewis, 83), Gregory (Evans, 59), Akins. Unused subs: Flinders, B.Quinn, Swan.