Mansfield Town make it four league wins in a row with victory at Oldham Athletic

In-form Mansfield fired themselves into the top half of the League Two table thanks to a thoroughly-deserved win at Harry Kewell’s Oldham.

A fourth straight league success was sealed as the Stags rallied superbly after going behind early on.

The visitors were excellent value for the three points as they also missed a penalty late in the opening half.

Ahead of the game at a misty old Boundary Park, Stags boss Nigel Clough made three changes to his starting XI following the weekend’s disappointing cup exit at Cheltenham.

There was a switch between the sticks, with Aidan Stone replacing Marek Stech, while right-back Corey O’Keeffe was replaced by Kellan Gordon.

Further forward, Mal Benning was replaced by Andy Cook.

The Stags started encouragingly, and went close inside the opening three minutes when an unmarked Jamie Reid rose high to meet Harry Charsley’s right-wing cross, only to then nod off target.

However, the visitors then conceded poorly in the sixth minute.

Conor McAleny’s cross wasn’t sufficiently cleared, and as the ball fell into Alfie McCalmont’s path, his routine strike from 12 yards somehow beat Stone far too easily at his near post.

Stone partially redeemed himself soon after when he got down well to beat away another McCalmont strike after the Leeds loanee had robbed Stags skipper Ryan Sweeney.

The Stags responded well to their early disappointment, with Reid going close again as he headed Stephen McLaughlin’s cross just over the top.

Clough’s men then struck twice shortly before the break.

Charsley lashed home from 15 yards after Oldham ‘keeper Ian Lawlor failed to punch a hopeful ball forward from McLaughlin clear.

Two minutes later Sweeney met Bowery’s header down before beating Lawlor from close range.

It could have been 3-1 in first-half stoppage-time, only for Bowery to divert his penalty kick wide after George Maris had been felled in the box by Raphael Diarra.

The Stags did get a third in the 50th minute when Reid easily beat interval sub Cameron Borthwick-Jackson before slotting confidently past Lawlor.

As Clough’s men continued to dominate, George Lapslie also smashed a 25-yard strike against the crossbar.

However, Oldham grabbed a second late on when McAleny pounced after sub Danny Rowe’s strike was blocked.

Oldham: Lawlor, Clarke, Piergianni, Diarra (Fage, 46), Barnett (Borthwick-Jackson, 46), McCalmont, Garrity, Whelan (Dearnley, 46 (Badan, 69)), Keillor-Dunn (Rowe, 56), Bahamboula, McAleny. Subs not used: Bilboe, Hamer.

Mansfield: Stone, Gordon, Sweeney, Rawson, McLaughlin, Charsley, Maris, Lapslie, Cook (Maynard, 90), Bowery (Benning, 80), Reid. Subs not used: Stech, O’Keeffe, Menayese, O’Driscoll, Law.

Referee: Richard Bartlett.