MANSFIELD Town survived a second half fightback from Carlisle United to record back-to-back home wins as they came out on top, 3-2.
Lee Beevers had got the Stags off to a great start early on, before a Rakish Bingham brace made it 3-0 at the break.
However, the Cumbrians hit back in the second half and reduced the deficit through David Amoo and Kyle Dempsey.
It made for a nerve-wracking finale, but the home side managed to cling on to claim maximum points.
Manager Paul Cox named an unchanged starting XI following Tuesday's 1-0 win over Morecambe, with Fergus Bell having shaken off a shoulder injury.
That meant a place on the bench for new signing Reggie Lambe, whose international clearance came through 24 hours before the game.
In the opposition dugout was former Stags and Notts County boss Keith Curle, who was yesterday named Carlisle's new manager.
And the task facing Curle was laid bare inside the first five minutes.
Mansfield sounded an early warning signal when Bingham curled an effort straight at Mark Gillespie following good link-up play between Matt Rhead and Bell.
And with four minutes on the clock, it was 1-0 when Beevers headed home.
Liam Marsden's long throw had caused no end of problems for the visitors in the box, and when the ball came back out to the defender, he swung it back in, with Beevers getting the finishing touch.
Carlisle tried to dig out a response and enjoyed a spell of possession, without really troubling Dimitar Evtimov in the Stags goal.
Stephen Elliott sent the ball just wide at the near post from Patrick Brough's cross, and Brad Potts fired over from range.
Martin Riley then intervened to thwart Antony Sweeney, who had driven goalwards after Elliott had glanced on Brough's header.
Mansfield however, soon got back into the swing of things.
A fine burst forward from Murray, following Rhead's pass, ultimately came to a dead end, but on 37 minutes it was 2-0.
Marsden's cross to the back post found an unmarked Bingham, and he finished with aplomb, lashing the ball beyond Gillespie.
The goal came shortly after Bingham had pounced on Hayden White's slip, crossing to Rhead, who couldn't capitalise.
But there was a third goal before the half was out - Beevers the architect as he ran half the length of the pitch before feeding Bingham.
The Stags striker once again kept his cool, finding the bottom corner from just outside the area with 42 minutes gone.
The visitors though, made a better start to the second half and pulled one back just past the hour mark when David Amoo made the most of Billy Paynter's miss-hit effort.
Suddenly, United had their tails up, and they went in search of more.
A couple of corners applied the pressure, with Elliott latching on to one and drawing a save from Evtimov.
Amoo then missed a great chance to make it 3-2 when he headed Elliott's cross inches past the post.
But, with less than 20 minutes to go, the Cumbrians set up a grandstand finale as Dempsey curled a delightful strike into the net.
Mansfield tried to avoid a nervy last ten minutes by looking to sew the game up.
White was forced to clear Marsden's cross from underneath his own crossbar, with Rhead heading the subsequent corner wide.
Carlisle threw everything at their hosts in an attempt to snatch an equaliser, but Mansfield dug in and held on for the win.
MANSFIELD: Evtimov, Sutton, Riley, Tafazolli, Marsden, Murray, Clements (McGuire 49), Bell (Lambe 74), Beevers, Rhead, Bingham (Fisher 84). Subs not used: Studer, Palmer, Heslop, Taylor.
CARLISLE: Gillespie, White, Brough, Archibald-Henville, Grainger, Dicker, Potts (Amoo 45), Sweeney (Beck 45), Dempsey, Elliott (Kearns 83), Paynter. Subs not used:Hanford,Marrow, Symington, Marriott.
ATTENDANCE: 3,117 (313 away).
