Mansfield Town 3-1 Crawley Town
- Published
Steve Evans made a winning start as new Mansfield Town manager after a second-half goal rush saw off his former club Crawley 3-1.
The Stags, who had only won twice at home all season before this game, had dominated but been unable to put their chances away.
But shortly after Krystian Pearce saw a header cleared off the line by Lewis Young after the break, the floodgates opened with three goals in 10 minutes.
Chris Clements buried the first from six yards after a poor defensive header fell kindly for him to volley home from seven yards.
Four minutes later Pat Hoban volleyed in at the far post from Matt Green's cross after the referee played a good advantage.
And on the hour Green beat goalkeeper Glenn Morris to the ball and found Clements in space 18 yards out and he blasted into an empty net.
However, eight minutes from time Rhys Bennett headed a Bobson Bawling cross into his own net to gift the Red Devils a consolation goal.
Mansfield had dominated the first half and created a wealth of chances. Jamie McGuire sent a 20-yard header just over after 15 minutes while Morris did well to tip an Ashley Hemmings header over the crossbar just before the break after Pearce had helped on a Mitch Rose cross from the right.
Report supplied by Press Association