Late Christmas present as Mansfield Town pick up three important points at Scunthorpe United

Nigel Clough treated Mansfield Town’s faithful fans to a belated Christmas present with a 3-2 win at relegation rivals Scunthorpe United.

The Stags extended their unbeaten Boxing Day record to four years with this tense win at Glanford Park.

And more importantly this victory, which means they have lost just once in their last six, saw them leapfrog the Iron on goal difference as they moved four points clear of the relegation zone after the lunchtime kick offs.

George Lapslie opened the scoring with his fifth goal of the campaign before Emmanuel Onariase and Farrend Rawson both scored down the wrong end.

Jordan Bowery’s second goal in as many games secured the Stags a vital three points.

John McAtee’s second-half effort turned out to be in vain for the battling hosts.

Clough named an unchanged squad with a full week off after last weekend’s draw at Southend with Nicky Maynard still struggling with a hamstring niggle.

Jamie Reid squandered an early effort after getting on the end of Ollie Clarke’s inswinging cross.

But there was no mistake in the 16th minute as Lapslie got the faintest of touches on Gordon’s inviting delivery.

And the Stags doubled their advantage as Mal Benning’s dangerous ball was turned into his own goal by Onariase.

But the Iron pulled one back nine minutes later when Rawson unfortunately scored down the wrong end just before the break.

Clough’s charges came close to restoring the visitor’s two-goal cushion as Harry Charsley stung the palms of Scunthorpe stopper Mark Howard.

On the hour Bowery was in the right place at the right time to bundle home the rebound after Rawson’s header was superbly kept out.

Scunthorpe gave the Stags a scare with 20 minutes left as McAtee converted Ryan Loft’s cross.

Down the other end Rawson nodded Benning’s cross over the bar.

And the hosts almost made them pay second later with Marek Stech denying Loft an equaliser.

Substitute Andy Cook should have bagged the points with eight minutes remaining when he fired wide of the mark.

Jake Taylor’s last-gasp effort flew over the bar.

Scunthorpe: Howard, Clarke, Bedeau, Onariase (Cordner, 56), O'Malley, Gilllead, Eisa, Spence (Taylor, 66), Beestin (Green, 82), Jarvis (Loft, 66), McAtee. Unused subs: Watson, Hippolyte, Rowe.

Stags: Stech, Benning, Sweeney, Rawson, Gordon, Clarke, Maris, Lapslie, Charsley, Bowery, Reid (Cook, 80). Unused subs: Stone, O'Keeffe, Menayese, Sinclair, Perch, McLaughlin.

Referee: Graham Salisbury (Lancashire).