Stephen McLaughlin scored his first goal of the season to help Mansfield Town secure a hard-fought 2-1 home win over Bromley. The victory on Saturday ended a frustrating run of four games without a win and maintained the Stags' unbeaten record at the One Call Stadium this season.

Nigel Clough's side now sit 14th in League One with 11 points from eight games. They will look to build on this momentum when they host Oxford United on Thursday.

McLaughlin's decisive contribution

The 36-year-old defender broke the deadlock after 22 minutes, cutting in from the left and seeing his shot take a couple of deflections before finding the net. It was a timely strike from the veteran, who contributed three goals and three assists in League One last season. Mansfield had started brightly, with Rhys Oates heading wide from close range just three minutes earlier, but they failed to add to their lead despite creating numerous chances. Michael Smith missed a hat-trick of opportunities, while Nathan Moriah-Welsh and Liam Thompson also went close.

Bromley equalised against the run of play on the half-hour mark. Mitch Pinnock delivered a cross from the right and JJ McKiernan controlled and turned to score a low finish across Liam Roberts for his third goal in three games. Roberts later made a brave close-range save to deny McKiernan a second, keeping his team in the game.

Regaining the lead

Mansfield responded quickly after the break, regaining the lead just four minutes into the second half. Michael Smith produced a clever backheel to set up Nathan Moriah-Welsh, who powered a low finish into the net from the right of the six-yard box. Moriah-Welsh is now the club's top scorer this season with three goals. The home side then had to show defensive resilience to see out the win. Roberts was called into action again in added time, saving a long-range drive from Mickel Miller, while a Nicke Kabamba finish was ruled out for offside.

The win means Mansfield have now won three of their four home games this season, with the other being a 0-0 draw against Huddersfield Town. Manager Nigel Clough has acknowledged that away form needs to improve for the team to climb the table, with recent results including a 2-0 loss at Port Vale. The squad's current injury status and full statistics can be viewed on our injuries and stats pages.

Attention now turns to the visit of Oxford United, who are currently eighth in the table. The match at the One Call Stadium kicks off on Thursday evening.

More detail at Mansfield and Ashfield Chad