COMETH the hour, cometh Matt Green – certainly as far as Mansfield Town are concerned this season.

There have been so many occasions when the predatory striker's goals have been so key to his side's fortunes in a brilliant 2011-12 to date.

Never was that the case more than last night when a first hat-trick in amber and blue was pivotal in helping the stuttering Stags claim an important victory.

A third home win in a row was never guaranteed, despite Darlington's well-publicised financial troubles.

Indeed, for much of the game the Quakers gave an excellent account of themselves and such a heavy defeat was rough justice on them.

But after a spell in the doldrums at Oxford United, he has been buzzing ever since moving north in August – and Darlington could not hold him.

He slammed home his 19th, 20th and 21st goals of a prolific season just when Mansfield were wobbling, securing a third home victory in a row.

It meant that despite not being at their best, the home side found the perfect response to their weekend defeat at Newport.

Despite that 1-0 setback in South Wales, manager Paul Cox resisted the temptation to make wholesale changes and instead made just one.

Paul Edwards was drafted in at left-back, meaning Luke O'Neill moved across to right-back and Ritchie Sutton into the middle of the defence alongside John Dempster, with Martin Riley making way.

Yet Mansfield were stunned as Darlington went in front after just three minutes.

Rob Ramshaw's cross from the right wing was slightly over-hit but played quickly back into the near post by David Ferguson for Marc Bridge-Wilkinson to head home from close range.

It might have been 2-0 seconds later as John McReady, in acres of space, chose to go it alone when he had a better placed team-mate and was eventually dispossessed by Sutton.

However, the Stags were back on level terms with 15 minutes gone from a set piece that came from a foul on Ben Hutchinson.

O'Neill swung over an inviting far post delivery and as the Darlington defence went to sleep, Dempster was left unmarked to nod home his third goal for Mansfield from just inside the six-yard box, despite keeper Jordan Pickford getting a touch.

Ross Dyer might have tested Pickford soon after but he dragged his shot horribly wide from the edge of the box after cutting in from the right flank.

Casual defending from the hosts was almost punished midway through the half when Ramshaw tried his luck with a dipping volley that beat Marriott but landed on the roof of the net.

An oversight by Edwards let in Ramshaw through the right channel with half-time approaching but his resulting shot failed to test Alan Marriott.

But the Stags went in front in the 44th minute – with a goal that had a touch of good fortune about it.

Skipper Adam Murray sliced his cross from the right high into the air, but Dyer made the best of the situation by battling to win the flick.

Hutchinson was backing him up and had the presence of mind to pick out Matt Green whose 12-yard short found the roof of the net.

In the dying seconds on the half, Murray could not have come much closer to putting Mansfield 3-1 ahead and giving them a cushion as he turned adroitly on the edge of the area to get off a low shot that struck first one post and then the other before rebounding straight to Pickford.

The Stags made a change at the break when Louis Briscoe replaced Hutchinson and he immediately slid the ball into the path of Adam Smith whose shot was blocked after he dithered too long.

The home crowd were relieved on the hour mark as Bridge-Wilkinson lobbed over Marriott only to be denied by a clearance from O'Neill, although an offside flag had already been raised.

Darlington, though, were not about to give up and a tense atmosphere enveloped Field Mill as the visitors enjoyed a prolonged spell of possession.

The third goal the hosts craved came in the 70th minute – and it was that man Green who provided it. He raced onto O'Neill's long ball forward, turned his marker inside out and drilled under Pickford with his left foot.

That was not the end of the drama as within two minutes, Darlington had reduced the arrears.

Mansfield were given a warning as Liam Bagnall picked out Ryan Bowman unmarked in the six-yard box and he somehow headed wide.

But that was not heeded and McReady took advantage to run unchecked through the Mansfield backline and drilled just inside the left-hand post from 12 yards.

However, the two-goal lead was restored in the 75th minute by Green. A hungry looking Briscoe fired in a cross that the striker took it on his chest, only to be tripped by Clark Keltie.

Green dusted himself down, picked himself up and found the left-hand corner precisely with a low kick that gave Pickford no chance.

Still the Quakers did not surrender and Scott Harrison went close with a header before Briscoe sealed the points with a ten-yard strike from Dyer's flick on – a goal he celebrated with unadulterated glee.

But it was Green who took the man of the match plaudits and rightly so. Not for the first time either.

Mansfield: Marriott, O'Neill, Sutton, Dempster, Edwards, Murray, Roberts, Hutchinson (Briscoe 46), Dyer (Rhead 90), Green, Smith (Meikle 72). Subs not used: Redmond, Riley.

Darlington: Pickford, Arnison, Keltie (Lambert 85), Taylor, Bowman (Rundle 81), McReady, Ferguson, Bagnall, Ramshaw, Harrison, Bridge-Wilkinson. Subs not used: Nixon, Barton, Hopson.

Referee: Rob Merchant (Stoke-on-Trent).

Attendance: 1,697 (80 visitors).