Sparkling Mansfield Town put neighbours Doncaster Rovers to the sword

It ended a spell of only one home win in seven outings and pushed Stags back up into the play-off spots.

A dominant first half from the home side saw them comfortably 2-0 up at half-time in front of Mansfield's biggest home crowd for many years.

Stephen Quinn gave them the ideal start as his finish went in off Tom Anderson's legs after only 25 seconds and new boy Alfie Kilgour buried a screamer to double that lead on 26 minutes.

But Rovers came back out on the front foot and deservedly pulled one back through Kyle Hurst on 53 minutes only to see their pressure halted as Lucas Akins restored the Stags' two-goal advantage with a magnificent lob on the hour.

Sub Will Swan then put the icing on the cake on 86 minutes with a well taken finish.

But Nigel Clough will be concerned by first half injuries for Stephen McLaughlin and Hiram Boateng.

Stags were without injured first choice keeper Christy Pym as Nigel Clough made four changes.

Scott Flinders made his first league start for the club in goal while new boys Kilgour and Louis Reed both made their first starts for the club.

Akins also came back into the side following an ankle injury.

George Maris (suspended), Kieran Wallace and Jordan Bowery all made way.

Striker Danny Johnson, back from a loan spell at Walsall, was named on the bench as were Ollie Clarke and Ryan Harbottle, both back from injury.

Doncaster gave on loan Leicester City defender Ben Nelson a debut with four other January recruits on their bench.

Stags were ahead within 25 seconds of the kick-off.

Hewitt crossed deep from the right, Quinn turned it back towards goal at the far post and the ball found the net off the legs of Rovers skipper Anderson almost on the line.

McLaughlin was looking uncomfortable with a knock of some sort and on seven minutes he was withdrawn and Wallace sent on.

A great burst by Maxwell saw him race past three opponents and get in a dangerous low cross which was blocked by Kilgour and Flinders punched away the resulting corner.

On 13 minutes Seaman screwed a shot wide with visiting players also screaming for a penalty for holding by Wallace as the move developed.

Stags almost doubled their lead on 25 minuted as Rovers struggled to clear a long ball in by Wallace. Several attempts were blocked before Akins' attempted finish clipped the keeper's head and went for a corner.

From the corner, Rovers again struggled to clear and again a couple of blocks were made before the ball reached Kilgour just inside the box and he rocketed a magnificent finish into the top left corner.

Boateng needed extended treatment after a second knock of the afternoon while Oates was treated onfield for a bang to the head.

Anderson almost put Miller away with a high through ball, but the offside flag came to Stags' rescue.

A minute from the break a neat Rovers move saw the ball fed to Seaman on the right of the box. He delayed his shot and came back inside only to see Reed slide in and make a magnificent block.

Boateng went down again and this time Stags replaced him with Clarke on 45 minutes.

In the second of seven added minutes Clarke was then booked for his first challenge of the afternoon.

Anderson was then lucky to only see a yellow for a very late lunge on Quinn in the seventh added minute as the home side went in deservedly in charge.

Rovers made a double change at the break as they looked for a route back into the contest and the visitors immediately pushed hard, Flinders gathering a firm cross by debut-making new signing Lavery.

Perch also got in a good block on a Lavery shot as the home side struggled to get any possession.

And Rovers were rewarded for their positive start with a goal on 53 minutes.

Williams sent a superb ball down the centre for Hurst and he tricked inside the last defender before burying his low finish.

There was a brief hold-up as stewards cleared smoke flares thrown onto the pitch from the celebrating away end.

Reed was added to the book for a foul on 56 minutes.

A free kick was then rolled to Brown and he was just too high from distance as Rovers continued to press.

Stags needed a break and got one on the hour with a flash of brilliance from Akins.

A long Flinders clearance bounced in his path and, with Mitchell coming off his line towards him, his lob was perfectly executed into the empty net from the left corner of the box.

Biggins forced Flinders into a low save to his right from a 30 yard free kick on 65 minutes.

Clarke had a shot blocked for a corner and Rovers survived a scramble from the corner.

Wallace made a superb tackle to deny Lavery as he shaped to shoot on 77 minutes.

On 79 minutes Stags were screaming for offside as Lavery broke down the centre. He squared a pass for Miller to finish but Flinders stuck out an arm to make a superb save.

Stags sent on two more subs and one of them, Swan, sealed the points on 86 minutes.

Akins was the creator as he held the ball up and then turned to slot a through ball for Swan to chase, and he came inside Williams before finishing low just inside the far post.

Clarke had a shot blocked in the five added minutes and then George Miller was booked for a dive as he tried to round Flinders and con the referee into a penalty decision for the desperate visitors.

STAGS: Flinders, C. Johnson, Hewitt, Kilgour, Perch, McLaughlin (Wallace 7, Bowery 83), Reed, Boateng (Clarke 45), Quinn, Akins, Oates (Swan 83). SUBS NOT USED: Mason, Harbottle, D. Johnson.

DONCASTER: Mitchell, Maxwell, Anderson, Williams 87) (T. Miller, Molyneux (Lavery HT), G. Miller, Biggins, Nelson, Seaman (Brown HT), Hurst, Close (Lakin 76). SUBS NOT USED: Jones, Olowu, Barlow.

REFEREE: Thomas Parsons.

ATTENDANCE: 8,116 (1,628 away).