Mansfield Town coast to victory at bottom club Forest Green Rovers

Two-goal captain Ollie Clarke fired the visitors in front early on at The New Lawn and the Stags never looked back.

Second-half goals from Tom Nichols, his first for the club on his full debut, Will Swan and a second from Clarke secured successive victories for the first time since Boxing Day.

Clough made two changes from the side which beat fellow promotion-chasers Notts County last time out.

Jordan Bowery came in for Baily Cargill at left-back, whilst Nichols made his full Stags’ debut as he replaced Lucas Akins.

Both sides went close in the opening exchanges.

Swan had the first chance of the game, fiirng wide, before Emmanuel Osadebe’s powerful shot was well blocked by George Williams.

But the visitors hit the front after just 11 minutes through captain Clarke.

Aden Flint knocked Louis Reed’s delightful delivery into the path of Clarke, who expertly fired into the bottom corner from the edge of the box.

Matt Stevens saw his shot deflected wide of the mark as the hosts tried to force their way back into the contest.

The Stags stood firm to go into the break one goal ahead.

Clough’s side charged out of the blocks after half-tine as George Maris fired over from 20 yards out.

And moments later Swan forced Luke Daniels into a great save after fashioning himself a decent chance.

Daniels needed to be even better on the hour mark with an excellent double stop.

First he denied Clarke a second before he tipped Swan’s strike over from the rebound.

But that was his last input on the afternoon as he was stretchered off after keeping out Swan.

Crucially, Nichols broke his duck for the club with a precise effort after being teed up by strike partner Swan with 20 minutes to go and Mansfield were firmly in the driving seat.

And Swan got his deserved goal eight minutes later as substitute Akins raced down the right and slipped the ball into his path to add the third with a first time finish.

Clarke added the gloss as he slammed home his second seven minutes into nine minutes of stoppage time, the lively Akins again providing the assist.

FOREST GREEN: Daniels (Searle, 64), Inniss, Keogh, Robson, Dabo (Jones, 73), Osadebe, McCann, Thompson (Bernard, 74), McAllister, Stevens (Omotoye, 84), Doidge. SUBS NOT USED: Oyedele, Bunker, Brown.

STAGS: Pym, Williams (McLaughlin, 81), Flint, Brunt, Bowery, Maris (Boateng, 81), Reed, Clarke, Keillor-Dunn (Quinn, 73), Michols (Akins, 73), Swan (Lewis, 80). SUBS NOT USED: Flinders, Cargill.

REFEREE: Sunny Gill

ATTENDANCE: 2,240 (604 away).