Irow stars as Mansfield Town make it five wins in a row to shoot down Port Vale
Sparkling teenage Tottenham loanee striker Oliver Irow's first senior goals on his senior debut helped Mansfield Town to a fifth win in a row as they saw off bottom club Port Vale 3-0 at the One Call Stadium this afternoon.
It was a game of two halves as Stags struggled to carve out real chances in a dour first half.
But three goals in 12 second half minutes ended Vale resistance and it could have been more in the end for Nigel Clough's men.
Vale, who had won their last three games in all competitions, shaded a poor first half with keeper Ben Amos not having a save to make, Lucas Akins volleying over Mansfield's best chance.
At the other end Devante Cole struck a post and Liam Roberts' one real save saw him deny Dajaune Brown one on one just before the break.
But two goals in four minutes early in the second half set the game ablaze as Irow netted his first senior goal on 55 minutes before Will Evans tucked away a loose ball on 59 minutes.
Irow then curled in a sensational second to make it 3-0 on 67 minutes.
Clough made two changes with Aaron Lewis and Stephen McLaughlin coming in for Frazer Blake-Tracy, who missed out through injury, and Jamie McDonnell, who it is believed is set to join Oxford United.
The rumour the Forest loanee was going to Oxford had grown stronger all week and his absence in the team suggested the rumours were correct and he has played his last game in a Stags shirt.
Vale were straight on the attack and Stags were relieved to get away with a second minute scramble in the box.
There was a hold-up as Byers was treated for an injury after being caught late by Evans.
He lasted until the 14th minute but then limped off to be replaced by Ojo.
Stags had a let-off on 18 minutes as a low pull-back for Cole from the left saw him beat Roberts from 18 yards but his curling shot came back off the post.
Stags' first real chance came on the half-hour mark as Oates floated a cross from the left to the far post where Akins volleyed over.
A quick Vale break saw Shipley in space on the left only to drill his shot into the sidenetting.
A low Moriah-Welsh cross was struck just too hard for Evans to reach at full stretch in front of goal soon after.
Four minutes from the break, Cargill's bodycheck on Hall saw the game's first booking.
Roberts was drawn into his first save of the half on 44 minutes – and it was an excellent one.
Cole's cutting through ball put Brown in on goal one-on-one, but Roberts spread himself well to block the finish.
In the second of six added minutes a deflected ball off Shipley fell to Evans in the box, but he snatched at it and sent it over the bar.
Oates sent a tremendous cross in from the left even deeper into stoppage time, but no one was there to capitalise.
A double change at the break saw Irow and Russell join the fray, Spurs youngster Irow making his debut. Off went Cargill and Moriah-Welsh with Mansfield going to a back four.
And within 10 minutes Irow was celebrating his first Stags goal.
Oates ran at Vale and ghosted past several opponents before shooting low from 16 yards.
Amos got down well to make the save, but the ball ran loose and from six yards out, a delighted Irow swept the loose ball into the net.
Four minutes later and it was 2-0.
Irow crossed long from the left and it found Oates in space at the far post.
He stabbed a low shot goalwards which Amos could only parry and Evans was on hand to finish from close range.
Irow then helped himself to a spectacular second on 67 minutes.
Taking control on the left edge of the box, he looked up and curled the perfect finish over the keeper and under the far angle.
Sweeney's foul on Hall on 70 minutes saw him added to the book.
Evans should have made it 4-0 on 72 minutes but fired wide after being put through by Oates.
Evans and Oates were taken off on 76 minutes to give Bolton and Adeboyejo a run out.
Two minutes later Irow cut in and curled a delicious cross into the six yard box which Russell headed over from close range.
Reed's race was run on 86 minutes as he was replaced by Hendry as Stags saw the game out with ease and Irow picked up a deserved Man of the Match award on a day he will always remember.
STAGS: Roberts, Oshilaja, Sweeney, Cargill (Russell HT), Akins, Lewis, Reed (Hendry 86), McLaughlin, Moriah-Welsh (Irow HT), Evans (Adeboyejo 76), Oates (Bolton 76). SUBS NOT USED: Hewitt, Dwyer.
VALE: Amos, Clark (Lawrence-Gabriel, 62), Headley (Gordon 87), Heneghan, Byers (Ojo 14), Brown (Stockley 62), Croasdale (Waine 62), Humphreys, Shipley, Hall, Cole. SUBS NOT USED: Gauci, John. REFEREE: Abigail Byrne.
ATTENDANCE: 8,364 (1,111 away).