Mansfield were back to their best as they halted relegation-threatened Crawley’s five-game unbeaten run in style with a convincing 4-1 home win.
Without a win in four games going into the match, Ollie Clarke put the play-off-chasing Stags ahead after only four minutes with a low finish from 12 yard following Stephen Quinn’s pass from the left.
Mansfield had plenty of chances to double that lead, Davis Keillor-Dunn forcing Corey Addai to save after 24 minutes.
Addai also denied Quinn with his legs at the near post after 33 minutes and then saved in a one-on-one with Rhys Oates two minutes later.
But Crawley had their moments and Dom Telford forced Christy Pym to save from close range after 19 minutes, while Ashley Nadesan sent a stinging volley just over.
Mansfield finally made it 2-0 after 47 minutes as Alfie Kilgour headed high past Addai from Lucas Akins’ cross from the left.
Three minutes later Akins sent Oates down the right and he set up Keillor-Dunn for a tap-in for number three.
Addai denied Akins a fourth from close range before Keillor-Dunn won the ball and beat the keeper from 10 yards in the 65th minute after Oates had played the ball in from the right.
Crawley made it 4-1 after 71 minutes, a neat move ending with Nadesan setting up Mazeed Ogungbo for a low side-footed consolation.
But Akins rattled the near post with a shot and Hiram Boateng fired against the bar as the Stags showed no let-up.
