Magnificent Mansfield Town destroy Salford City to go top of League Two

The visitors finished with 10 men as Stags piled on the agony to end the Ammies' fine eight game unbeaten run with plenty to spare.

And leaders Stockport's home 0-0 draw with Swindon saw Stags end the day proudly top of the pile.

It was a thrilling game for a long time on a poor surface with Salford well in it for almost an hour.

Mansfield led from the 18th minute throuh a Will Swan header.

The pacy Junior Luamba levelled on 42 minutes with a fine individul effort.

But Stags still went in ahead as Baily Cargill tucked away a corner at the far post deep into added time and 12 minutes after the restart Davis Keillor-Dunn bagged his 17th of the season to give Mansfield some breathing space.

The pressure was eased even more as Theo Vassell was sent off on 73 minutes as he stopped Lucas Akins going clear and Akins got his revenge with the fourth on 81 minutes before sub Hiram Boateng got in on the scoring act in added time.

The Mansfield side showed three changes with George Williams in for Jordan Bowery at right-back, Aaron Lewis replacing Ollie Clarke in midfield and Davis Keillor-Dunn taking over from George Maris in attacking midfield.

The visitors made one change, giving a debut to loanee West Ham winger Dan Chesters.

The game started at a frantic pace on a sunny, but very cold afternoon, and Stags were first to threaten as City tried to clear the first corner in the third minute, Keillor-Dunn seeing his first shot blocked and his follow-up zip just over.

On seven minutes Quinn won the ball and found Keillor-Dunn. He sent Swan into space but the striker's finish skided across the face of goal and wide.

Brunt got in the way of a Smith shot as Salford tried to trest Pym for the first time on 11 minutes.

Keillor-Dunn has another shot blocked from a corner, and from the resulting corner, the ball was cleared to Reed who hit a powerful 18 yard shot on target that keeper Cairns did well to finrgertip over.

The pace of Luamba was too much for Cargill on 17 minutes and he brought the winger down to earn a booking.

A minute later and Stags were ahead.

Lewis curled over a delightful cross from the right and Swan was on hand to guide home a close range header from just inside the six yard box.

Swan, Reed and Keillor-Dunn then swapped quick passes on the edge of the box before Reed forced Cairns into a save at his near post.

But Salford were almost level on 22 minutes as Watt's cross picked out Luamba unmarked at the far post and he forced Pym to keep out his volley with his legs.

Mansfield almost caught Salford on the break on 27 minutes as Keillor-Dunn raced down the middle. His final pass to Akins was franctionally too slow and the angle not the best and the striker curled a tame finish well over.

Two minutes later the Ammies won a corner from which Vassell headed into the sidenetting at the far post.

On the half-hour Pym came to punch clear a corner and in the melee Vassell was hurt and stayed down with a blow to the head. After a five minute hold-up for treatment he was able to play on.

Soon after there was another hold-up for the phsyio as Luamba stayed down after a challenge.

But he was also fine to continue and he levelled the match on 42 minutes,

Sent into space on the left he accelerated before cutting in between two Mansfield defenders and drilling home a low finish inside the near post from 16 yards.

Ten minutes were added and in the first of those Quinn passed to Swan whose first time finish in the box seemed to strike a hand, but the referee played on.

Seconds later and Reed tried his luck but a bobble on the pitch saw the ball fly well over.

Quinn was taken out late as Stags tried to break soon after, the referee played the advantage but then Watson brought down Keillor-Dunn in full flight and was yellow carded.

Stags continued to press and were rewarded nine minutes into the added 10.

Keillor-Dunn's corner from the left went through everyone and was turned home from close range at the far post by Cargill.

Salford almost levelled before the whistle as McAleny crossed from the left and Hendry poked a finish straight at Pym.

Mansfield will not have been too upset to see the back of the lightning quick Luamba for the second half as he was replaced by N'Mai.

Watt flashed the first shot of the second half wide from 20 yards in the opening minute.

McAleny was also wide with a tame, low shot soon after while Lewis was too high at the other end.

Sub N'Mai was hurt in a challenge and we had a third long hold-up of the afternoon for treatment.

But on 57 minutes Mansfield extended their advantage on the break.

A superb ball over the top by Lewis sent Quinn away. And, as Cairns came out to meet him and close him down, he slipped a pass to Keillor-Dunn to his left who rolled it into the gaping net.

Stags had another penalty shout turned down as a hand was in the way of a Flint shot.

Akins almost added a fourth on 72 minutes but sent his close range header straight at Cairns.

Akins threatened to go clear a minute later and was clearly pulled down by Vassell who was shown a straight red card as the Ammies' afternoon went from bad to worse.

On 81 minutes Stags extended their lead as Brunt confidently brought the ball out of defence and lofted it over the visiting defence for Akins to run onto and finish low past Cairns.

Reed was booked on 90+5 for a grapple with N'Mai, but it mattered little as Boeteng poked home the fifth from Reed’s right wing cross and the final whistle was met with home jubilation.

STAGS: Pym, Williams, Flint, Brunt, Cargill (Bowery 68), Reed, Lewis (Clarke 82), Quinn (Boateng 82), Keillor-Dunn (Maris 82), Akins, Swan (Nichols 68). SUBS NOT USED: Flinders, McLaughlin.

SALFORD: Cairns, Watt, Watson (Lund 68), Hendry (Morton 68), Tilt, Smith (Mariappa 79), McAleny, Chesters (Ingram 68), Garbutt, Vassell, Luamba (N'Mai HT). SUBS NOT USED: Torrance, McLennan.

REFEREE: Craig Hicks.

ATTENDANCE: 7,166 (152 away).