Webster brace earns Burton Albion victory on disappointing opening day for Mansfield Town​​​​​​​

Stags were made to pay for a bad miss inside the first 30 seconds by Will Evans as they made a promising start to the game.

But Burton were soon in charge with a goal in each half and it was a very flat overall display by the visitors, lifted only by a raft of substitutions and a reply by Baily Cargill on 76 minutes that at least provided an exciting finish with Burton pinned back in their own half as Mansfield searched in vain for a late equaliser.

With six new players in the side and two more coming on from the bench it was perhaps no huge surprise this new-look Mansfield side will take a while to gel.

But the sold-out away end will be disappointed by much of what they saw as Burton maintained their unbeaten league record against the Stags, now stretched to nine games.

Back at his former club, Mansfield boss Nigel Clough handed debuts to six of his nine new signings in a very new-look side with two of the other trio on the bench, Joe Gardner out injured.

Sweeney, Burton skipper last season, was captain for Mansfield back at his old club too.

Evans and Oates were named as the first striker partnership of the season.

Missing from the 17 were Keanu Baccus and Deji Oshilaja.

Evans should have given Mansfield the perfect start with a golden chance inside 25 seconds.

Burton failed to clear a Hewitt cross from the right and the ball broke invitingly to Evans 10 yards from goal and central but he fired tamely straight at the keeper.

Stags had made a bright start, dominating possession, Cargill sending an inviting ball across the box and Sweeney's shouts for a push and a penalty waved away.

Burton created their first chance on six minutes as Beesley touched a great ball into the path of Tavares who curled a powerful finish straight to Roberts.

Two minutes later Armer crossed from the left touchline and McKiernan flicked a header over the angle.

Burton hacked away the visitors' first corner while Roberts confidently caught the Brewers' first flag kick.

Sweeney then got a vital block to stop a powerful McKiernan effort as the home side continued to grow into the clash.

And it was the home side who drew first blood on 22 minutes.

Webster, finding himself in space, tried his luck from over 25 yards and watched his superb effort sail into the top right corner with Roberts rooted and no chance of reaching it.

Knoyle sliced wide from a Stags corner three minutes later while Oates had a shot blocked after a Reed pass sent him away on 36 minutes.

Stags had a let-off on 39 minutes as Tavares was able to rob Sweeney in the box and Cargill did well to block a Lofthouse shot.

The danger was not clear and Knoyle did well to get his body in the way of Tavares as he tried to force the loose ball home from close range and the panic ended as Webster shot straight at a relieved Roberts.

Mansfield will have been happy to hear the half-time whistle and only be one goal behind at the end of an increasingly disappointing first 45 minutes that could have been so different had Evans converted his early chance.

Four minutes after the restart the referee produced his first yellow card of the game for time-wasting as Moon took an age to take a throw in.

But on 51 minutes the Brewers doubled their lead.

Webster played a neat one-two with Tavares just outside the box and then stroked an unstoppable finish into the bottom left corner out of the reach of Roberts' fingertips.

Roberts had to race out his box to clear soon after as Beesley bore down on goal after a long ball.

Clough quickly sent on Maris and McLaughlin for McAdam and Hendry on 56 minutes.

Maris won a free kick 24 yards out on the hour, taken by Reed, which clipped the head of Moon in the wall and sailed over.

Seconds later Armer appeared to tug Cargill back in the box and he went down, but no penalty was forthcoming.

McLaughlin's late tackle on Lofthouse on 64 minutes earned the sub a booking.

Oates came close to halving the deficit on 72 minutes as McLaughlin crossed from the left and Oates tried to help it past the keeper from close range only to see it land on the top of the net.

A minute later Clough made a triple change as they desperately looked for a route back into the game with Dwyer, Moriah-Welsh and Bolton coming on for McDonnell, Hewitt and Evans.

And on 76 minutes Stags grabbed themselves a lifeline.

Reed teed up McLaughlin wide on the right for an inch-perfect cross that picked out the incoming Cargill at the far post who buried a close range header.

Oates turned inside and curled a low shot inches wide from 18 yards as we entered the final 10 minutes.

McKiernan might have sealed it on 85 minutes with a chance from 15 yards and central to goal from Shade's square ball, but he shot straight at Roberts.

Maris was booked on 90 minutes for going in late on Godwin-Malife as the game headed into five added minutes.

In the first of them Maris sent a header over the bar from Oates' right wing cross and in the fourth of them McLaughlin's stooping far post header was straight at Missah as time ran out on the Stags.

BURTON: Missah, Godwin-Malife, Armer, Chauke, Sibbick, McKiernan, Webster (Sraha 90+5), Beesley, Tavares (Shade 66), Lofthouse (Akoto 66), Moon. SUBS NOT USED: Isted, Larsson, Gilligan, Delap STAGS: Roberts, Knoyle, Sweeney, Cargill, Hewitt (Bolton 73), McDonnell (Moriah-Welsh 73), Reed, Hendry (McLaughlin 56), McAdam (Maris 56), Evans (Dwyer 73), Oates. SUBS NOT USED: Mason, Bowery. REFEREE: Edward Duckworth.

ATTENDANCE: 5,170.