Mansfield Town warmed up for their FA Cup First Round clash at home to Harrogate Town this coming Saturday, with a routine, midweek home win over struggling Plymouth Argyle.

It was a victory which saw the Stags move into eighth place in EFL League One, three points off Lincoln City and AFC Wimbledon holding the bottom two play-off places, and five off pacesetters, Stockport County.

Plymouth, struggling in the relegation places at this early stage of the season, fell behind in sixth minute when Will Evans broke the deadlock; route one football from the hosts saw a goal-kick from shot-stopper Liam Roberts cause no ends of problems in the Argyle defence before Evans caught hold of the ball and fired past Conor Hazard for the opener.

It was Evans’ fifth goal of the season, and moved him two clear of Rhys Oates and Tyler Roberts, in the early scoring stakes.

The Stags created several chances throughout the first half, however, none of those proved ultimately troubling for Hazard as his shaky defence held up as efforts from Aaron Lewis, Stephen McLaughlin, and Tyler Roberts, all went wide of goal.

Leading by that Evans goal at the break, the Stags couldn’t advance their initiative in the opening exchanges of the second half, with Swiss striker, Lorent Tolaj coming close to levelling for the visitors on the hour, before homegrown youngster, Tegan Finn forced a save from Roberts, in the home goal, as the game headed towards the final ten.

Stags boss, Nigel Clough, brough on Joe Gardner and Jordan Bowery for the final ten minutes of the contest, a move that paid instant dividends when the former raced down the left and passed to Nathan Moriah-Welsh, who’s shot on goal was unsuccessful, but caught by the latter of the subs to tap home from close-range.

Bowery’s goal, his first of the season for the Stags, sees him become the fourteenth player to score for the club, in all competitions, thus far; the hosts holding out for a routine three points, in-front of a crowd of more than 7,700 spectators.

Victory for the Stags sees them unbeaten in their last five league games, winning six and drawing of their fourteen in the league, and extended their unbeaten home record to six (for added measure), with four wins and two draws.

Mansfield Town – Liam Roberts, Kyle Knoyle, Deji Oshilaja, Frazer Blake-Tracy, Stephen McLaughlin (capt; Dominic Dwyer, 92), Jamie McDonnell, Aaron Lewis, Nathan Moriah-Welsh (Max Dickov, 92), Tyler Roberts (Regan Hendry, 70), Will Evans (Joe Gardner, 80), Rhys Oates (Jordan Bowery, 80)

Nigel Clough’s side are now preparing to welcome lowly League Two side, Harrogate Town, to the One Call Stadium this coming Saturday (1 November), for an FA Cup First Round tie; Simon Weaver’s side are currently sixth bottom and have registered just four wins in the league.

Meanwhile, Martin Paterson’s Notts County are also in FA Cup action, away to lowly National League side, Brackley Town; eighth bottom in the division, Gavin Cowan’s side beat Woking 6-2 in a replay in the last round to earn the visit of the Magpies.

*Article provided by Peter Mann (Senior Correspondent).

*Main image @mansfieldtownfc Jordan Bowery celebrates with Nathan Moriah-Welsh (left).