Mansfield put in a strong performance in the second half to secure a 2-1 victory against Bristol Rovers in a match filled with mistakes at the Memorial Stadium.
Bristol Rovers quickly found themselves trailing after a blunder from goalkeeper Jed Ward led to Mansfield taking the lead within seconds of kick-off. Will Evans intercepted Ward's poor pass, setting up Caylan Vickers to score into the open goal, despite some initial fumbling.
The lead was short-lived, as Rovers' Romaine Sawyers equalized with a well-placed shot from the edge of the area, assisted by Shaq Forde. This was Sawyers' first goal for the team.
Another defensive error, this time a poorly judged back pass from Connor Taylor, was capitalized on by Keanu Baccus, who set up Dom Dwyer to score into the empty net, with Ward out of position after 59 minutes.
Despite efforts from Ward to keep Mansfield at bay with two crucial saves, the visitors continued to create scoring opportunities in the second half, including chances for Evans and Dwyer.
Rovers' goalkeeper Christy Pym also made an important save from an Isaac Hutchinson volley as the home team searched for a late equalizer that never materialized.