Michael Cummings orchestrated Port Vale's 4-2 home win over Mansfield, their first win in six games, to leave the visitors firmly anchored at the foot of Division Two.

Cummings scored twice before laying on other goals for Ian Armstrong and Billy Paynter as Vale proved too strong for the league's basement boys.

Wayne Corden, released by Vale 18 months ago, had rocked his former club when he fired the visitors in front after just 28 seconds.

The fans had barely settled in their seats when Corden cut in from the right and squeezed a shot inside Mark Goodlad's left-hand post.

There were further chances at both ends, with defences looking shaky, before Cummings turned the game on its head with two goals in three minutes.

He netted his first with a majestic header from Phil Charnock's corner on the half hour, then applied a simple right-foot finish to Paynter's excellent pass.

The goals continued to flow after the interval as Cummings crossed for Armstrong to head home and provided a pin-point pass which Paynter finished off neatly.

Mansfield striker Iyseden Christie kept his excellent sequence going when he clattered his ninth goal in five games from 20 yards for a consolation a minute later.

Port Vale: Goodlad, Cummins, Collins, Brightwell, Burns, Charnock, Boyd, Durnin, Armstrong, Paynter, McPhee. Subs: Delaney, McClare, Brooker, Byrne, Birchall.

Mansfield: Pilkington, Day, Gadsby, Lever, Clarke, Disley, Williamson, Lawrence, Christie, Little, Corden. Subs: White, Hassell, Larkin, Moore, MacKenzie.

Referee: A Leake (Lancashire)