Four home debuts as unchanged Stags take on Crewe

That meant home debuts for the four new signings, Jake Kean, Yoann Arquin, CJ Hamilton, and Ben Whiteman.

Jack Thomas replaced Kevan Hurst on the bench with Hurst off with illness.

Stags were aiming to end an unwanted run of not scoring at home in the first half all season.

Crewe, who were unchanged for a fourth successive game despite skipper Ryan Lowe returning from injury, had won just twice in 20 matches.

STAGS: Kean, Bennett, Pearce, Howkins, Benning, Collins, Whiteman, Hamilton, Byron, Green, Arquin. Subs: Shearer, Clements, Hoban, Baxendale, Thomas, McGuire, D. Rose.

CREWE: Garratt, Turton, Guthrie, Davis, Jones, Dagnall, Cooper, Bakayogo, Bingham, Kirk, Kiwomya. Subs: Richards, Ray, Nugent, Lowe, Hollands, Udoh, Ainley.

REFEREE: Mark Brown of Yorkshire.