LEAGUE TWO

EVEN at this early stage in the season there have been so many false dawns for MANSFIELD but finally they may have cracked it. Their 6-1 drubbing of OLDHAM was helped by two red cards to the visitors but even before Tomas Egert and Filipe Morais were sent off for two stupid tackles seconds after one another Nicky Maynard had scored twice to set Mansfield on their way. Maynard (right) went on to score a hat-trick as Mansfield recorded consecutive wins to sit five points off the play-offs.

CREWE continue to sparkle and a 4-2 win away at CARLISLE put them top of the pile ahead of EXETER who beat FOREST GREEN 1-0. STEVENAGE recorded their first win of the season by beating GRIMSBY 2-1 at home. It was Mark Sampson’s first win in charge with Kurtis Guthrie and Charlie Carter scoring in the first half before Ahkeem Rose gave Grimsby hope with 10 minutes left. Grimsby manager Michael Jolley described the defeat as his side’s ‘worst performance of the season’. A devastating first-half display from SCUNTHORPE swept aside NORTHAMPTON. Lee Novak scored a brace before Kevin van Veen’s sensational strike against his former club secured a 3-0 win.