Impressive Mansfield Town are up and running after easing past Morecambe

A Lucas Akins brace and a Davis Keillor-Diunn goal wrapped up a deserved win in a game Mansfield controlled throughout.

It could have been a much bigger win for Stags with Shrimps keeper Stuart Moore producing a number of good saves.

It could have been different for Morecambe had Tom Bloxham done better with a glorious chance on seven minutes.

The win was yet another impressive display to build on the fine performance in midweek against Grimsby.

Nigel Clough made one change from the side that beat Grimsby on Tuesday night, with Baily Cargill replacing Jordan Bowery in defence.

Tom Bloxham blazed a great chance over the bar for the visitors on seven minutes.after Stags had failed to clear a cross.

Lucas Akins headed a Callum Johnson cross wide with the goal gaping on 14 minutes.

Ryhs Oates wasn’t far away with a long-range effort minutes later as Stags enjoyed a spell of pressure.

Stuart Moore beat away a powerful Oates shot midway through the half as the hosts stepped up the pressure.

Moore again saved well from Akins before the Mansfield man fired wide from the rebound.

Aaron Lewis wasn’t far away with a long-range free-kick on 40 minutes as Mansfield continued to run the half.

The pressure finally paid off in first-half stoppage time when Akins headed Stags ahead from close range after Davis Keillor-Dunn flicked on Stephen Quinn’s free-kick.

Akins curled wide on the hour mark as Mansfield continued to set the pace.

And it was 2-0 a minute later when Davis Keillor-Dunn calmly slotted home after going through on goal.

Moore got down well to save from Oates after a Mansfield counter-attack.

It wasn’t Oates’ day as he fired over from the edge of the box with 15 minutes to go.

Akins added another from the spot with three minutes to go after Oates was hacked down.

Mansfield Town: Pym, Johnson, Cargill (Bowery 65), Reed (Hartigan 88), Flint, Lewis, Kilgour, Akins, Quinn (Boateng 65), Keillor-Dunn, Oates

Subs: Clarke, Flinders, Cooper, Abdullah,

Morecambe: Moore, Love (Davenport 71), Bedeau, Rawson, Senior, Songo'o, King, Bloxham (Slew 71), McKiernan (Taylor 60), Mayor (Melbourne 60), Mellon (C. Smith 85).

Subs: Stokes, A Smith.

Ref: Scott Simpson.

Att: 6,695.

Chad man-of-the-match: Aaron Lewis.