ADAM Murray's first half goal secured a second successive victory for Mansfield Town as they beat AFC Wimbledon, 1-0.
Although neither side offered a great deal in front of goal, the Stags midfielder ensured his team won two games in a row for the first time in six months.
Boss Paul Cox made two changes to the side which started at Victoria Park in midweek.
Ryan Tafazolli returned in defence after recovering from a knock to the foot, with John Dempster dropping to the bench as a result.
And with James Jennings suspended after picking up his tenth booking of the season in Tuesday's 4-2 victory at Hartlepool United, Colin Daniel came into the first XI.
Back-to-back victories for the first time since September was the target set by the manager.
And Cox's men made the perfect start towards achieving that when they broke the deadlock with seven minutes on the clock.
Murray took over set-piece duties in Jennings' absence and curled in a free-kick from out on the left. Ollie Palmer tried to get a glancing header on it, but it was the Stags skipper who claimed the goal.
And for the most part, the hosts looked pretty comfortable with their lead.
Chances were few and far between for either side in a reasonably quiet first half, with the Mansfield back line largely to blame for any pressure they did come under – some poor clearances giving Wimbledon the opportunity to press.
The visitors though, were unable to take advantage and offered little in front of goal.
Substitute Kwesi Appiah went as close as anyone to finding an equaliser when he capitalised on a mistake by Martin Riley.
The Stags defender dallied on the ball, allowing Appiah to sneak in and set-up a one-on-one with Alan Marriott. It was the home keeper however, who won the race for the ball.
Ten minutes later, the same Dons player had another chance when he met Francomb's right-hand cross, but the volley was straight at Marriott.
As the first half neared its conclusion, it began to spark into life.
Mansfield had made several good runs forward, only with little end product. However, just before the whistle, a Murray corner required tipping over as it looked to be curling in.
And the goalscorer set up Matt Rhead with a delightful through-ball, with Ross Worner having little trouble claiming the resulting shot on the turn.
The visitors made the brighter opening to the second half, with Francomb blasting over Appiah's left-hand cross when given time and space at the back post, while Aaron Morris curled a long-range effort wide.
Stags, for their part, had looked a little flat since the interval, as the game descended into a scrappy affair.
Cox tried to change that by looking to his bench. The double introduction of Sam Clucas and Lindon Meikle, with a switch to 4-4-2, had worked well in the last two games, and the manager turned to the duo again, with Jake Speight not far behind.
The latter looked particularly lively when he entered the fray just past the hour.
A slip by Alan Bennett gave Speight the chance to run at goal, but he was beaten to the ball by Worner. Good link-up play with Rhead then saw him curl an effort goalwards from outside the box, which was caught by the keeper.
As the match entered the final ten minutes, the visitors applied the pressure in search of an equaliser.
Jamie McGuire cleared Bennett's header off the line, while Marriott thwarted a powerful strike from Francomb.
Stags staged a late rally as they attempted to put the result beyond doubt, with Murray whistling in another free-kick, Clucas heading at Worner and Rhead driving the ball goalwards.
But though their search for a second proved fruitless, they hung on for all three points.
MANSFIELD: Marriott; Tafazolli, Riley, Sutton, Beevers, Howell (Clucas 54), Murray, McGuire, Daniel (Meikle 54), Rhead, Palmer (Speight 65). Subs not used: Dempster, Stevenson, Clements, Westlake.
AFC WIMBLEDON: Worner; Fuller, Bennett, Jones (Appiah 15), Antwi, Francomb, Morris, S Moore, Richards (Arthur 51), Collins, Wyke (Saint-Luce 62). Subs not used: Sweeney, L Moore, Pell, Brown.
ATTENDANCE: 3,292 (318 away).
