York City and Mansfield Town produced an exciting attacking feast of football with the visitors running out 2-1 winners with goals from Liam Lawrence and Richard Pacquette. City's top scorer Lee Nogan scored what proved to be City's consolation goal.
The visitors dominated the first half and on five minutes Wayne Corden had a shot from a tight angle well saved by Mark Ovendale. City hit back with Darren Dunning and Levent Yalcin both shooting wide from just outside the box.
Stags central defender Rhys Day had a powerful downward header from Lawrence's corner blocked on the line by Richard Hope before Craig Disley's dipping header from 12 yards brought a fine flying save from Ovendale.
The Stags went ahead on 29 minutes with a quality goal. Lawrence picked up the ball 25 yards out, cut inside and unleashed a curling left-foot strike in to the top left-hand corner.
York had chances to get back on level terms when Nogan flipped an effort inches wide from Dunning's corner, while Kevin Pilkington dealt well with Ward's rising 30-yard screamer.
The visitors should have gone in at half time 2-0 up. On 45 minutes Brass' slip on the edge of the area let in Corden on goal but his shot was superbly blocked by Ovendale. As the ball ran loose on loan striker Pacquette blasted over from 12 yards with the goal at his mercy.
Mansfield doubled their lead on 53 minutes. Lawrence's free kick from the right was headed home by Pacquette off the inside of the post from eight yards.
York replaced Yalcin with Cardiff target Lee Bullock and City became more of a threat up front. The Minstermen were back in the game with a strange goal on 66 minutes. Pilkington's scuffed clearance from outside the area went straight to Nogan and the striker fired the ball back instantly into an unguarded net from 40 yards.
The goal gave City greater confidence and they had Mansfield on the ropes. Dave Merris twice delivered quality crosses from the left flank. From the first keeper Pilkington dropped the high ball under pressure from Bullock but managed to fall on the loose ball. Then from the second, Walker fired from 15 yards just wide of the target in a crowded area.
Nogan and Bullock then linked inside the box to set up sub Darren Edmondson but Tony Vaughan dispossessed him superbly at the vital moment. Right at the close the visitors had chances through Colin Larkin and Wayne Corden to extend their lead but Ovendale was defiant in the City goal.