Transfer deadline day signing Rakish Bingham (pictured) was an instant hit on his debut for the injury ravaged Stags as they claimed their first win of the season.

Bingham scored the early opening goal and might have added more to his tally. Fergus Bell’s first Mansfield goal before half-time proved decisive, as the Stags put three successive defeats behind them.

Mansfield travelled with a squad of just 18 players and saw wing-back Rob Taylor go down with illness ahead of the match. But because of further injuries during the match to Bell and defender Ritchie Sutton, Taylor had to play for most of the second half.

Underfire manager Paul Cox said: “Rob has run through a brick wall for this football club.

“We came down here with 17 fit players and I am so proud of them. They have answered all the questions of them in the right way.

“I thought the boys were excellent. The biggest thing was that it showed when we prepare right just how good a start we get off to. We have done things right this time.

“We came down the night before and stayed over and that was probably one of our best performances away from home for a long time. The boys responded and our first half was excellent. We played some good stuff, some good football.

“Credit to the boys – they answered their critics in the right way.

““I have always said when a lot of people are losing their heads that I have to keep mine and see what lies beyond a couple of had results.

“I know one swallow doesn’t make a summer but we have a lot of potential here. We have a siege mentality in the dressing room and if we have to do it on our own then we have to do it on our own.”

On Bingham, signed an hour after the club lost Sam Clucas to Chesterfield on Monday, Cox said: “The lad is only half-fit and hasn’t played for two or three weeks.

“We have got ourselves a good player and a good person who, with that potential, shouldn’t be playing at this level.

“We have worked extremely hard to get him into the football club and today I think we have only seen 50 per cent of what potentially come could from him.”

Bingham made a dream start, scoring in the 14th minute after Bell’s drive was well saved. Bell then unleashed a crashing shot to double the lead after Sutton’s effort from an Adam Murray corner was blocked.

Mansfield, who played the better football throughout, were pegged back by a piledriver second half Matt Grimes free kick, only Exter’s third goal of the season.

But they hung on for their first away win of the season, surviving six minutes of injury time and a few scares as the home side, without a win this season, occasionally threatened an undeserved equaliser.