Mansfield Town thrashed Crawley 4-0 on Saturday to clinch their first home win of the season – scoring more than one goal at the One Call Stadium for the first time since March.

They totally dominated from the kick-off with high temp, quick passing football and the only surprise was that it took until the 43rd minute for Nathan Thomas to break through, intercepting a pass on the edge of the area and bursting past three defenders to fire in.

Two minutes after half-time Mitchell Rose drilled a low shot through a crowded penalty area after a poor Crawley side failed to properly clear a corner.

Three minutes later Gwion Edwards was sent off for a late challenge on Nicky Hunt – the second time in a week the mansfield full back had been the victim of a red-card challenge.

Matt Green and Craig Westcarr completed the rout, setting up each other’s goals. Green also hit the post.

Afterwards delighted Stags boss Adam Murray said: “I am not shocked or surprised at the score. It’s nothing I didn’t expect from them as I know them well as a group.

“I work with them every day and I have said all along that when we get it right we’ll be a good team.

“It’s no shock. As staff we work hard and the recruitment process in the summer was hard work to get these players in.
“It’s another step on our journey and another building block for us.

“We probably took a step quicker than I expected today in our process and some of the performances today were superb.

“I understand what football’s like and everyone cries out for eight strikers on a pitch. But I am the one who works with these players every day and I knew where they are at.

“We want to do things at the right time and the important thing this season with so many new faces was to make us hard to beat. We need to be solid and stern in what we do as that’s the platform for everything.

“Our flair players and our attacking players have had to take that on board, knowing their job on the other side of the game. We have an ethos here that it’s about us – there is no me.

“Now when we get our attacking players doing the other side we will be a good side, and we saw flashes of that today. There is still a long way to go to where we want to get to, but overall that was a good performance today.

“We played on the front foot a bit more and got Westy closer to Greeny as well as playing with more of an out and out winger.
“We came out and played on the front foot today, and that was epitomised by Matt Green. Getting his goal today was superb as he fully deserved it. And some of the performances were excellent – Matt Green, Nathan Thomas, Chris Clements – who was again off this planet – Adam Chapman, all round the pitch we were superb.

“It was probably up there in spells as one of the best performances
since I took over.

“I have said to the players enjoy your weekend. When you get home fully appreciate how good you have been today as individuals and as a team. Shout it from the rooftops because this game changes quickly.”