Boss Nigel Clough hailed a “hugely important” win as Mansfield clinched a 3-1 victory at 10-man Crawley, their first success in three Sky Bet League Two outings.
Clough felt it was critical that his side achieved maximum points, with the top three also winning.
Second-half goals from Davis Keillor-Dunn and George Maris turned the match in fourth-placed Mansfield’s favour, after a Danilo Orsi penalty had cancelled out Baily Cargill’s opener.
The Stags had not played for 17 days and Clough said: “It was hugely important.
“We have five games over the Christmas period, including this one, and it’s lovely to start with a win.”
Clough admitted the long lay-off was far from ideal for his men and added: “At times we looked rusty physically and especially mentally.
“At 1-0 up we were in control of the game and the penalty was an unusual and strange decision.”
Referee Scott Simpson penalised Lucas Akins for fouling Adam Campbell and Clough said: “We’ve had it all season, players being held in the box. But this was given for a shirt pull when the ball is 20 or 30 yards away.”
The 57-year-old praised substitute Stephen Quinn for being involved in both second-half goals and also described Cargill’s opener as “a wonderful goal.”
“All three were great goals, and it was great old fashioned wing play with the brilliant cross for Cargill.”
Crawley boss Scott Lindsey felt defender Jay Williams was unlucky to be sent off as his side suffered only their fifth home league defeat since last Boxing Day.
Williams received two successive yellow cards, with a foul on Quinn followed by dissent, and Lindsey said: “He didn’t deserve it.”
The former Swindon boss felt his men were too slow in their possession at times and revealed: “I felt the big moments in the game Mansfield managed better than us. But we are a young team and we’re learning on the job.
“The second goal killed us and we didn’t defend that moment very well.”
The Red Devils are only two points away from a play-off place and Lindsey feels they are on target for where he thought they should be.
He added: “We want to keep in touch, keep chipping away and pick up points. Hopefully we will be in and around it for a push at the end of the season.”
Man United could be without Toone until new year, says Skinner
Marc Skinner revealed that Manchester United could be without midfielder Ella Toone until the new year after she picked up a calf injury in training.
Toone has featured in five games in the Women's Super League this season, but is yet to register a goal or an assist so far this term.
The 25-year-old has missed United's last two games and was not selected in Sarina Wiegman's England squad for their upcoming friendlies against the United States and Switzerland.
She had previously appeared in a staggering 96 straight matches before missing United's WSL showdown with Leicester City last weekend.
But ahead of the Red Devils' meeting with league leaders Chelsea on Sunday, Skinner confirmed they would be without Toone for not only that game, but for the foreseeable future.
"We have three games [after the international break and before Christmas]. There's always the hope, but I think you balance and you go, 'right, if we can get her back, we get her back'," Skinner said.
"But we're just not going to rush her in this moment because it's a calf injury, it's your running mechanism. If we injure the running mechanism, it takes longer.
"So ideally we'd like her back for those games afterwards.
"The projection is she misses this game [Chelsea], she misses the international window, probably misses the first game after that, and then we'll see from there.
"But because it is such a short block of only three games, we'll assess whether it's worth that or actually resetting to come back after Christmas."
Al-Nassr 1-2 Al-Qadsiah: Aubameyang winner ends hosts' unbeaten run
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang hit the winner as Al-Qadsiah inflicted a 2-1 defeat on Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League on Friday to end their 21-match unbeaten run.
Cristiano Ronaldo's seventh league goal of the season put Al-Nassr ahead, but Al-Qadsiah replied swiftly through Julian Quinones before Aubameyang struck the decisive blow.
The hosts drew first blood in the 32nd minute when Ronaldo slotted home after Al-Qadsiah goalkeeper Koen Casteels had spilled a routine catch from Talisca's cross.
However, Al-Nassr's joy was short-lived when Quinones brought down Turki Al Ammar's delivery five minutes later, with the Mexcio winger firing past Bento to level the scores.
Quinones also played a part in the winning goal after brilliantly turning the ball back across goal from Nahitan Nandez's search pass to tee up a simple finish for Aubameyang.
The result sees Al-Qadsiah move level on 22 points with third-placed Al-Nassr, with Al-Shabab also level with them.
Stefano Pioli's Al-Nassr are six points adrift of defending champions and leaders Al-Hilal, who also have a game in hand.
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