Jordan Bowery nets hat-trick as Mansfield Town thrash Port Vale 4-0 to claim first home league win of the season in the snow

Hat-trick hero Jordan Bowery ensured it was a very happy new year for Mansfield Town as he guided the Stags to a 4-0 victory over 10-man Port Vale in the snow.

Nigel Clough's side recorded their first home win of the League Two campaign in dominant style.

Skipper Ollie Clarke needed less than a minute to open the scoring and, from then on, it was one-way traffic.

Even the heavy snowfall at One Call Stadium couldn't cool Bowery's hot scoring streak as his treble made it five goals in three matches.

The Valiants had Leon Legge dismissed two minutes into the second half which only added to the away side's misery, before Stags youngster Tyrese Sinclair missed a late penalty.

Clough made one change to the side which won 3-2 at Scunthorpe United on Boxing Day, James Perch replacing the injured Kellan Gordon.

Clarke got the Stags off to a dream start, smashing home his first goal for the club with just 45 seconds on the clock.

Harry Charsley's low strike was pushed onto the post by Vale keeper Scott Brown, but captain Clarke was the quickest to react, forcing the ball home from the tightest of angles.

That early goal put a spring the hosts' step as Town enjoyed a period of dominance, none more so than George Lapslie who was granted plenty of space down the right flank.

But the Vale defence closed ranks and managed to repel his crosses into the box.

However, two headed efforts saw the Stags go close.

Jamie Reid didn't appear to know much about diverting teammate Ryan Sweeney's header wide from point blank range following George Maris' corner.

Moments later and Farrend Rawson's could only force Mal Benning's free kick into the grateful grasp of Brown.

That pressure paid off in the 32nd minute as Bowery's netted for the third straight game.

Maris' inswinging cross from the left founds its way through the packed penalty area to Bowery who lashed home from close range, giving Brown no chance.

The second half was less than two minutes old when the Valiants had Legge dismissed for a second bookable offence as he chopped down Lapslie on the edge of the visitors' box.

From the resultant free kick Maris' effort flew over the bar, a hopeful long-ranger from Bowery went the same way.

Stags stopper Marek Stech was called upon to maintain the two-goal advantage as Vale's half-time substitutes Cristian Montano and Tom Pope combined, the latter's back post volley blocked from close range by the Czech.

But that was as good as it would get for the away side.

As the snow fell harder and harder, referee Ben Toner paused the game for the One Call Stadium ground staff to clear the penalty area lines on the pitch, which had become a blanket of white.

Bowery made it three in the 77th minute with a cool penalty, slotted into the bottom left-hand corner after Charsley was clipped in the box.

Three minutes later and the hat-trick was complete as Bowery forced home a low drive across Brown's goal and in off the far post, the goal of the game enough for the striker to claim the match ball.

Charsley over-hit a good chance in front of goal before the Stags were awarded a second penalty after Sinclair was brought down in the box with three minutes remaining, but the youngster dragged his spot kick well wide of the mark.

STAGS: Stech, Perch, Rawson, Sweeney, Benning (McLaughlin 81), Clarke (O'Keeffe 83), Maris, Charsley (O'Driscoll 83), Lapslie, Bowery (Sinclair 83), Reid (Cook 81); Subs (not used): Stone, Menayese.

PORT VALE: Brown, Smith, Brisley, Legge, Fitzpatrick (Montano HT), Burgess, Joyce, Whitehead (Worrall HT), Hurst (Pope HT), Amoo (Mills 49), Rodney; Subs (not used): Visser, Cullen, Bailey.

REFEREE: Ben Toner.