BOSS Matt Gray revelled in a “top performance” from his side after they beat Mansfield 3-2 to halt the Stags’ club-record home run of 11 successive league wins.

An error from home defender Farrend Rawson gifted United a ninth-minute lead from which Mansfield never recovered as the visitors came out on top in a battle between two clubs pushing for promotion.

The result saw Sutton move back into the play-off spots while Stags slipped to sixth, six points behind third-placed Port Vale but with a game in hand.

A delighted Gray said: “It was a top performance against a really good side with a top manager and some really good players.

“They’d had 11 wins out of 11 so to come and break that run is a great effort from everyone involved.

“The result was the most important thing, but I think the performance backed it up as well.

“I thought we were excellent first half and deservedly in the lead.

“It was then a great start to the second half to get the second goal. It looked and felt reasonably comfortable.

“Then a own goal livened the crowd back up and made it a contest and we needed to dig deep as we knew questions would be asked of our character.

“But straight away it was a great response from us – they are great characters.

“It was a superb finish from Bennett. Mansfield got one at the death with a deflection but we saw the last 30 seconds out.

“Our counter-attacks could have been better. But we broke well for that third goal.”

Sutton went ahead early on when Rawson was robbed by Omar Bugiel as he received a ball from keeper Nathan Bishop on the edge of the box and the United striker went on to round Bishop to net.

Four minutes after the break David Ajiboye turned home a low left-wing cross from Enzio Boldewijn for Sutton’s second.

United defender Ben Goodliffe looped a header over his own keeper from a long ball forward to give Stags hope in the 78 minute only for United substitute Richie Bennett to break clear two minutes later to slot home a third.

Matty Longstaff’s 18-yard shot deflected home for Stags in the seventh minute of stoppage time for a late consolation.

Mansfield boss Nigel Clough said: “What we said all week was do not go 1-0 down against this team.

“So to go 1-0 down in the circumstances we did set the game off and was a result-defining moment. And to give them a two-goal lead made it incredibly difficult.

“The early goal gave Sutton a massive lift and confidence and, more importantly, it gave them something to hang on to which they did very well as they’re that sort of team.

“They scored early when we played them away and we struggled to break them down.

“To win 11 on the trot here and not make it 12 in the manner that we did is the worst part.

“We know we will lose games, but to lose it in that manner was the most disappointing, contributing to it ourselves.

“The timings of the goals conceded was very poor.

“Just when you wanted to get a foothold in the game and try to build some momentum second half, within two or three minutes we were 2-0 down and they are cock-a-hoop, It’s very difficult to come back from there.

“Just when we get one back and you think we can have a go at them we go and give another goal away.”