A top six side taking on the winless Bulldogs, the Eagles were expected to come to Tatura Park and steal the four Goulburn Valley League premiership points with comfort, but with multiple injuries to regular senior footballers, plus the suspension of Tom Dunstan, Mansfield had to work for its win.
The Eagles shot ahead to an early two-goal lead thanks to majors from Max Mahoney and Will Foster, but the Bulldogs would level the game up by quarter-time as Ben Darrou and Will Russell hit the scoreboard.
However the second term was controlled by the visitors, with Foster and Callum Brown making early inroads before Mansfield piled on a handful of behinds, Eagle Riley Northcott breaking the inaccuracy trend with a goal in red time.
Tatura was held to just one behind in the second term, allowing Mansfield to extract a 22-point lead at the main break.
Three straight goals out of the sheds had the Eagles flying, but Tatura would not go away quietly, plucking back two goals through Blake Armstrong and Harry Murdoch.
The fourth quarter would be split evenly again like the opening term, although it was rather due to goal kicking flaws from Mansfield, the Eagles kicking 1.8 to Tatura’s 2.2.
As Darrou slotted his third goal late in the final term, Tatura ensured it recorded its slimmest loss of the year, a 30-point defeat of 6.6 (42) to 9.18 (72).
Foster, Brown and Mahoney were the multiple goal kickers for Mansfield with two each, the latter pair earning votes in the best for their displays.
Finn Radley and Tom Sullivan were deemed best on for Tatura.
The Eagles and Bulldogs have challenging fixtures up next, Mansfield hosting second-placed Echuca while Tatura travel to Deakin Reserve to face ladder-leaders Shepparton in round 11.
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