Three wins in a row as Mansfield Town blow away promotion-chasing Bradford City

City, going for automatic promotion, had won five of their previous six games, but were blown away by a Stags side that have shot up the table, this maybe the best display of the three.

They began Christmas in the drop zone but are now looking upwards at an ever-decreasing gap to the play-off spots, despite their injury problems.

After weathering some early Bradford pressure, Mansfield grew into the contest and Rhys Oates put them ahead on 22 minutes before Lucas Akins headed a second on 37 minutes to put the home side firmly in charge.

Stags continued to impress their biggest crowd of the season so far after the break and after escaping a penalty shout against Akins, were 3-0 up on 67 minutes as Oates struck again to punish an error by City captain Max Power.

Amid the heavy festive schedule, Nigel Clough freshened up his side with five changes as Stephen McLaughlin, Akins, Jamie McDonnell, Louis Reed and Will Evans came in for Elliott Hewitt, Frazer Blake-Tracy, Aaron Lewis, Kyle McAdam and Max Dickov.

Akins and McDonnell were both back from injury, leaving Stags with six key players still missing.

City made two changes, with Neill Byrne and Calum Kavanagh replacing Antoni Sarcevic and Curtis Tilt.

The Bantams had two ex-Stags players on their bench in George Lapslie and Will Swan.

With the strong wind at their backs, Bradford were immediately on the front foot, though Oates did turn well and send a dangerous cross past everyone on five minutes in Mansfield's first raid forward.

A quick throw caught Stags napping but Halliday's cross was just too high for an unmarked Kavanagh.

On 13 minutes the ball broke kindly for Halliday from a tackle and he was through on goal, but Roberts blocked his finish and the Bradford man then sent his follow up over the bar.

Byrne was then too high with a header from a corner.

But Stags went ahead on 22 minutes as Evans' through ball sent Oates clear dien the centre.

Walker was down to block his first shot, but Oates recovered the loose ball and drilled it in at the second attempt.

Three minutes later Oates went on another exciting run from just inside the centre circle which ended with a shot just over the bar from 20 yards.

Then on 35 minutes Cargill sent a far post header straight at Walker from a McLaughlin free kick.

But Stags were two to the good on 37 minutes.

After a throw in, McLaughlin put in a fine cross from the left and Akins rose to power home a header from six yards out.

A minute from the break a Power cross caught on the wind and curled onto the roof of the home net.

But Stags almost added a third in added time as Evans fed McLaughlin tight to the left by-line and with the outside of his boot he tried to find the far corner but the angle was too tight and the ball sailed wide.

Blake-Tracy replaced Evans for the second half for the home side.

City were straight onto the offensive after the break, Akins blocking a free kick with his chest with Bradford screaming for handball and a penalty.

They looked to have a very good case but Stags had got away with it.

Oshilaja was booked for a pull and then failing to retreat 10 yards on 53 minutes.

Oates was inches over on 55 minutes after loose passing by the visitors gifted him the ball 25 yards out.

Then a neat move saw McLaughlin set up Cargill for a first time shot that deflected over as the home side began to build up a head of attacking steam.

Bradford needed to change the direction of the afternoon's proceedings and made a triple change on 62 minutes.

Instead the home side went 3-0 up on 66 minutes.

Reed picked the pocket of Power 30 yards out and fed Oates into the box to deliver a pinpoint first time finish past Walker.

McDonnell and Oates were rested after superb shifts on 73 minutes as Lewis and Dwyer entered the fray.

Lewis quickly forced Walker to save a half-volley from 20 yards.

At the other end Wright was too high with a first time far post attempt from a tight angle.

A Stags break from a Bradford free kick saw Sweeney try to send Moriah-Welsh clear, but he was crowded out by retreating defenders as he tried to shoot and it was an easy save for Walker in the end.

Swan went through on 86 minutes one on one with Roberts, but determined to keep his clean sheet, the keeper made a superb block on the finish.

Akins' foul on Wright on 89 minutes saw the Stags man added to the book.

Wright headed home from the free kick but an offside flag was up to preserve the clean sheet.

STAGS: Roberts, Oshilaja, Sweeney, Cargill, Akins, McDonnell (Lewis 73), Reed (Taylor 86), McLaughlin, Moriah-Welsh (Bolton 86), Oates (Dwyer 73), Evans (Blake-Tracy HT). SUBS NOT USED: Mason, Dickov.

BRADFORD: Walker, Halliday (Neufville 62), Touray, Wright, Byrne, Power, Kavanagh, Humphrys (Swan 62), Wright, Kelly (Sarcevic 62), Metcalfe. SUBS NOT USED: Hilton, McIntyre, Tilt, Lapslie.

REFEREE: Ross Joyce.

ATTENDANCE: 9,077 (1,561 away).