Stephen McLaughlin praises Mansfield Town's character after battling win at Barrow.

Mansfield Town defender Farrend Rawson was sent off for two yellow cards in the 39th minute. Stags were leading 2-1 before they extended their lead to win 3-1.

It gave Stags a record equalling seven successive football league wins in the process to further bolster their promotion charge.

They did it the hard way after Farrend Rawson saw red in the 39th minute with Mansfield already 2-1 up.

Jordan Bowery then struck midway through the second half to seal the deal.

“It is some achievement to have equalled the record,” he said. “That is football and it is some run that we are on.

“It shows the character in the squad. We are together as a group and we knew it would be tough for them to break us down because we are a tight unit.

We changed our shape, but we were not going to just sit in for the whole second half

“We wanted another goal and we knew set pieces would be a problem for them.

“We were really looking forward to the Forest Green game so it was good to play today.

“We knew it would be tough and to play how we did was a credit to everyone. We had to work hard to stop them from creating chances.

“We stayed in our shape and we did it very well. When it came into our box we headed it clear, we pressed them, we squeezed the pitch and we made it very difficult for them.”

“It is a massive result for us. It is a very good result for us, but it is done now and we are on to the next.

“We are taking it game by game and not getting too far ahead of ourselves.”

Mansfield got off to the perfect start when Rhys Oates put them ahead after just 40 seconds.

Ryan Stirk’s delivery was headed on at the near post by Rawson and Oates glanced in the assist from six yards.

There was momentary concern after 13 minutes when Luke James’ headed in but the goal was disallowed for a push.

But the warning wasn’t heeded and Barrow levelled four minutes later. Rawson conceded a corner from Anthony Glennon’s in-swinging free kick.

And the set piece frailty surfaced once more as Jones met Robbie Gotts’ flag kick and headed in off the far post.

Town-against the run of play-restored their advantage after 25 minutes. Stirk’s corner found its way through to McLaughlin whose left foot drive yielded his fourth goal in seven games.

Back in charge, Mansfield, pushed the self destruct button as Rawson collected two bookings in four minutes to receive his marching orders as he had done in the reverse fixture.

Additionally, Oli Hawkins’ seventh booking in nine games brought his season’s tally to 10 and an imminent two-game ban.

The second half brought constant Barrow pressure but Town soaked it all up and hit back with Bowery’s goal allowing the Stags to ease through the final 20 minutes.