Third win in a row as Mansfield Town see off Grimsby Town

Before a bumper Boxing Day crowd, Stags went ahead through a deflected Davis Keillor-Dunn shot on 19 minutes and doubled that lead through George Maris in first half injury time.

But the visitors could feel a little aggrieved, having forced three good saves out of Christy Pym and twice rattled the woodwork.

The home side were much more dominant after the break and created a wealth of chances that should have seen them well out of sight, Lucas Akins seeing an effort chalked off for offside and Ollie Clarke hitting the bar.

But they will settle for three more points and a clean sheet ahead of Friday's visit of Doncaster Rovers.

Stags boss Nigel Clough made one change from Saturday's win at Sutton United with Louis Reed replacing Ollie Clarke in midfield.

Cheered on by a huge away following, Grimsby created the first danger on two minutes when Pyke beat Johnson to the ball in the box but stabbed a tame effort straight at Pym.

Two minutes later at the other end Keillor-Dunn set up Maris on the edge of the box, but he smashed his finish over the top.

Pyke again got into the home box on six minutes and this time Pym was able to block his low shot with his foot.

Stags were threatened again on eight minutes as Gnahoua rifled a low shot from 20 yards that hit the near post and went out.

On 10 minutes Cargill won the ball well and set up a move that ended with Akins' shot deflecting up and over off Rodgers for the game's first corner from which Flint headed wide.

Johnson then burst into the box on the right on 15 minutes and forced Cartwright to block his powerful shot at his near post.

Reed was too high with an ambitious 30 yard effort as the home side continued to press.

But they had to play with 10 men for a short time while Maris had a cut to his face treated.

Mansfield were finally ahead on 19 minutes. Maris found Keillor-Dunn to his right and he cut into the box and then saw his low shot take a deflection and roll past a helpless Cartwright.

Rodgers was booked on 21 minutes for clattering into Maris late.

Grimsby had their turn to play with 10 men after Pyke limped off and was eventually replaced by Eisa.

Johnson was added to the book on the half-hour for a trip.

The home side had a double let-off a minute later as Green's 18-yard shot came back off the crossbar and Gnahoua's follow-up was kept out by Pym's legs.

Cartwright got himself in the way of a deflected Quinn shot on 35 minutes. That forced the first of two more corners, the second of which saw Cartwright save Flint's header.

Akins was too high from 20 yards after controlling a pass from Reed, Maris had a goalbound shot blocked and Keillor-Dunn forced a save from Cartwright as Stags hunted the all-important second goal.

With a Grimsby man down, Stags attacked down the left on 43 minutes and Bowery teed up Maris for a low shot just wide of the near post.

Grimsby twice almost levelled in stoppage time as first Pym had to block a Rodgers shot at his near post and then Eisa drilled a low shot right across the face of goal.

There was still time for Pym to be booked for time-wasting.

But as we entered a fifth added minute Maris cut in from the left and sent a pinpoint low finish inside the far post from 25 yards to double Mansfield's advantage.

McLaughlin replaced Johnson for the second half, slotting in at left back, Bowery moving to right back and Cargill to centre half.

And Stags almost went three up within three minutes as Bowery sent over a great cross from the left and, as the keeper pushed it away, Keillor-Dunn forced him to save.

Cartwright then pushed a low cross-cum-shot by Quinn off Akins' toes as Stags went for the jugular.

Keillor-Dunn weaved his way through the Mariners' defence only to fire into the sidenetting.

Ex-Stag Rose acrobatically hooked a loose ball over the bar on 54 minutes while Brunt sent a tame low shot at Cartwright, who also had to block a Maris shot soon after.

On 63 minutes Keillor-Dunn forced the keeper to tip away a powerful shot from a tight angle on the left.

On 64 minutes Cartwright had to spread himself to block from Keillor-Dunn from a Maris pass as the pressure grew on the visitors.

Maris was booked for a frustrated trip on 67 minutes after being dispossessed when in a promising position.

A rare Grimsby raid saw Rose poke well wide from Glennon's cross before Stags sent on Clarke and Oates for Maris and Quinn to freshen things up.

Oates immediately took a bang to the face and needed treatment.

On 75 minutes Clarke flashed a powerful 20 yard volley goalwards which went up and over off the top of the bar.

And five minutes later Cartwright had to block a close range McLaughlin header from a corner.

A minute later McLaughlin crossed and, all on his own, Keillor-Dunn guided a free header wide from eight yards.

Keillor-Dunn then flashed a close range first time shot over after swapping passes with Bowery before he and Reed were replaced by Swan and Williams.

Akins did have the ball in the net on 85 minutes but was denied by a raised offside flag.

STAGS: Pym, Johnson (McLaughlin HT), Cargill, Akins, Bowery, Maris (Oates 69), Flint, Quinn (Clarke 69), Brunt, Reed (Williams 84), Keillor-Dunn (Swan 84). SUBS NOT USED: Flinders, Macdonald.

GRIMSBY: Cartwright, Efete, Glennon, Green (Holohan 76), Rodgers, Pyke (Eisa 27), Gnahoua (Andrews HT), Clifton, Maher, Rose, Conteh (Hunt 76, Mullarkey 90+4). SUBS NOT USED: Eastwood, Waterfall.

REFEREE: Ollie Yates.

ATTENDANCE: 8,125 (1,200 away).