NEW number nine Anthony Stokes made it three goals in two games as Rovers ended their recent wretched record in the English Football League Cup with an ultimately comfortable victory at Field Mill.

Fresh from scoring in Saturday’s desperately disappointing opening day Championship defeat the summer signing from Celtic broke the deadlock in the 29th minute.

The League Two Stags equalised three minutes into the second half through Mitchell Rose to raise fears in the travelling support that they were about to see their side suffer a sixth successive defeat to lower-division opposition in the competition the club famously won in 2002.

But Rovers roared back and two headed goals in the space of two minutes, the first in the 53rd through Shane Duffy and the second from Stokes almost immediately after, settled those fears and the first-round tie.

Owen Coyle’s side were not only looking to bounce back from their humbling at the hands of Norwich City but also record their first win in the League Cup since October 2011.

To that end, and unlike his predecessors Gary Bowyer and Steve Kean, Rovers boss Coyle named a strong starting line-up showing five changes to the team that started the 4-1 home loss to the Canaries.

Gordon Greer, Jack Byrne and Stokes were handed their first starts for the club after impressing off the bench on Saturday while there was also a full debut for fellow new boy Stephen Hendrie and a recall for fit-again Craig Conway.

But it was one of the players who kept their place who so nearly gifted Mansfield a second-minute goal.

Duffy sold goalkeeper Jason Steele short with an under-hit back pass which allowed CJ Hamilton to race clear.

But with just Steele to beat the speedy Stags striker badly clipped the ball wide of the near post.

Hamilton caused Rovers plenty of problems in an open and even first half and, after shrugging off Greer’s attentions, he should have done better than drag a shot wide.

At the other end Steele’s opposite number Scott Shearer got down low to keep out an effort from Ben Marshall after Byrne won the ball and played the right-winger in with a lovely through pass.

Byrne, the on-loan Manchester City midfielder, looked a class above in the first half as he picked up possession off the centre-backs and attempted to orchestrate attacks from deep.

Another of his sharp passes sent Conway scampering down the left and he sent over a cross that Marshall should have headed on target.

Some of Byrne’s team-mates, however, were not as careful in possession before the break and Chris Clements fired two long-range attempts wide before Rovers went in front.

Danny Graham played in his strike-partner on the edge of the area and Stokes switched the ball on to his right foot before beating Shearer with the aid of a big deflection.

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A Duncan McKenzie goal was enough to earn Rovers a 1-0 victory the last time the two clubs met in April 1980.

But Mansfield were level in the 48th minute as Mal Benning stood up a cross to the back post where Rose looped a header into the top corner. It was a good finish but poor defending.

Rovers’ response, though, was impressive, and they regained the advantage when Duffy powered a header past Shearer from an outswinging Conway corner to open his account for the campaign.

And two minutes later the lead was extended as Marshall picked out Stokes inside the six-yard area and the on-fire forward nodded past the exposed keeper.

Rovers had stepped up a gear and were threatening to blow the Stags away with Marshall twice testing Shearer from the right.

Stokes went close to completing his hat-trick, and a perfect one at that, cutting inside on to his left foot and seeing a deflected shot hit the bar, before substitute Shearer saved from substitute Liam Feeney.

But there was to be no further scoring as the Ewood Park outfit booked their place in the second round for the first time in four years.

MATCH FACTS

Mansfield: Shearer, Bennett, Benning, Collins, Howkins, Chapman, Clements (Hakeem 75), Baxendale (D Rose 70), Hamilton (Green 70), Hemmings, M Rose. Subs not used: Subs not used: Jensen, Taft, Hurst, McGuire.

Goal: M Rose 48.

Rovers: Steele, Lowe, Duffy, Greer, Hendrie (Henley 72), Conway (Feeney 68), Lenihan, Byrne, Marshall, Graham (Mahoney 80), Stokes. Subs not used: Raya, Akpan, Guthrie, Wharton.

Booked: Byrne.

Goals: Stokes 29, 55, Duffy 53.

Referee: Stephen Martin.

Attendance: Attendance is 2,885 (566 away).