Mansfield Town complete magnificent festive programme with win at Stockport County​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

A thrilling first half saw Lee Gregory give Stags the lead after only 12 minutes only to see Will Collar level on 20 minutes.

Gregory then had a penalty saved before Will Evans rounded the keeper on 39 minutes to give Stags the interval advantage.

Stags then survived some intense home pressure for a time after the break before working their way back into the game and seeing it out for another superb victory.

Having made six changes on New Year's Day, boss Nigel Clough again freshened things up with five changes as Elliott Hewitt, Frazer Blake-Tracy, George Maris, Aaron Lewis and Will Evans replaced Alfie Kilgour, Stephen McLaughlin, Louis Reed, Stephen Quinn and Rhys Oates.

Stockport also made four changes with Sam Hughes, Callum Camps, Kyle Knoyle and Ryan Rydel coming in for a start.

Camps sent a low shot wide of the visitors' goal in the second minute.

In reply, Evans was wide of the near post from a Boateng pass on five minutes.

Two minutes later Bowery was too high from outside the box after a free kick was half-cleared to him.

But Stags were ahead on 12 minutes through Gregory's ninth of the season.

A long Hewitt throw from the right came off a defender's head and dropped invitingly for the striker to rifle home a low finish into the bottom right corner.

Stockport were only behind for eight minutes as they responded with an excellent 20th minute equaliser.

Bailey sent a cross to the far post from the left where Wootton nodded down and Collar buried a low first time finish.

Mansfield then wasted a chance to retake the lead on 26 minutes when Gregory had a penalty saved.

Camps caught Lewis in the box and the referee pointed to the spot.

Gregory tried to hit the ball inside the left hand post but it was a decent height if the keeper guessed the right way and Hinchliffe dived to his right and turned it away.

Pym was relieved to grab a Collar header almost on the line on 31 minutes as the visitors tried to clear a second corner in a row.

Good work from Boateng on the left of the box saw him get a cross over that Hewitt headed well wide.

However, the Stags hit the front again on 39 minutes.

A great through ball by Boateng on the right sent Evans into the box.

He managed to sidestep the keeper and then guided home a low precision finish inside the far post from a tight angle for his 10th goal of the season.

Oshilaja was happy to only see a yellow card on 44 minutes after he took out Camps late just before the break.

But Stags ended an entertaining half with 11 men and a narrow advantage.

Taking no chances, Clough withdrew the booked Oshilaja at the break and sednt on Kilgour into the heart of defence.

In the opening minutes of the second half Stockport almost carved out an equaliser from nothing.

Hewitt tried to shepherd the ball out for a goalkick on the left by-line.

But Rydel would not give it up and managed to nick the ball away from the defender and then curled a finish just wide of the far post from a tight angle.

Two minutes later Blake-Tracy came up with a fantastic tackle to prevent sub Southam-Hales testing Pym while, at the other end, Evans looped a header comfortably to the hands of Hinchliffe.

Pym then had to get down to keep out a low Diamond effort as he chased a long ball forward.

The home side were now pressing hard and pushing the visitors further and further back.

Camps was well over from range with Evans down injured for Mansfield after being caught late.

On 66 minutes Maris and Evans departed the action and Reed and Flint came on with Bowery pushed up front.

The changes seemed to relieve some of the home pressure as Mansfield started to enjoy some possession again, Quinn then coming on for Boateng.

A frustrated Gregory was booked on 76 minutes for fouling Pye, seconds after nothing was given when he was being held himself.

With 12 minutes left Rydel put over a good left wing cross and Collar headed over from eight yards when he should have tested Pym.

Stags thought they had won another penalty as Gregory was caught in the box a minute later, but the referee believed he had gone down easily and seconds after Gregory was replaced by McLaughlin, the defender sent to run around up front.,

Collar cushioned a tame header at Pym as the home side tried to find a way back late on.

Stockport piled on the late pressure, but Stags defended well as seven more agonising minutes were added.

Wootton went down in the Stags box in the fifth added minute, but again the referee ignored penalty shouts, as he did for a challenge on Bowery at the other end, and Stags were home and dry.

STOCKPORT: Hinchliffe, Connolly, Hughes (Southam-Hales HT), Pye, Knoyle (Touray 75), Norwood (Diamond HT), Camps, Rydel (Fiorini 86), Collar, Bailey (Stretton 75), Wootton. SUBS NOT USED: Addai, Gardner.

STAGS: Pym, Hewitt, Bowery, Oshilaja (Kilgour HT), Cargill, Blake-Tracy, Maris (Reed 66), Boateng (S. Quinn 75), Lewis, Evans (Flint 66), Gregory (McLaughlin 80). SUBS NOT USED: Flinders, Flint, Waine.

REFEREE: James Durkin.