Stockport had luck on their side as they registered their first home win of the season.
Visitors Mansfield outplayed Stockport for much of the match but were unable to turn territorial goals into their advantage.
Indeed, the Stags must have felt they were victims of daylight robbery after creating a remarkable 22 goalscoring chances but failing to put any of them away.
But a combination of breathtaking goalkeeping from Lee Jones and poor finishing enabled Stockport to strike it lucky at the third attempt at Edgeley Park.
They took the lead against the run of play in the 39th minute through a rare goal from Keith Briggs.
The midfield player found the net for only the second time in his career, squeezing home a Luke Beckett cross from the tightest of angles.
Stockport doubled thier lead early in the second half. Rickie Lambert and John Hardiker linked superbly to set up Beckett who found the net with a superbly struck volley,again from an acute angle.
Mansfield were handed the chance to get back into the game immediately after Stockport scored when they conceded a penalty following a trip by Carlton Palmer on Craig Disley.
But Wayne Corden's spot-kick was brilliantly saved by Jones low to his left with Liam Lawrence firing the rebound wide with the goal at his mercy.
In the dying stages, Jones distinguished himself again with saves to deny Neil MacKenzie and Neil Moore again