Nothing went for Mansfield as struggling Barrow were given a soft penalty, Stags had one of their own turned down and then a soft free kick sparked a late, unlikely equaliser for the visitors - with home keeper Alan Marriott red-carded for clashing with Paul Jones after the ball hit the net with 93 minutes on the watch.

• Mansfield Town 2 Barrow 2 - match report and first half photo slideshow

Jones had provoked the clash by ruffling Marriott's hair as he lay on the floor and saying something and the keeper reacted and retaliated with a kick and then the pair squared up.

It was an unsavoury end to a blood and thunder second half which had been in stark contrast to the poor first 45 minutes.

The afternoon ended with the officials escorted off to huge booing and Stags boss David Holdsworth having to be restrained as he tried to remonstrate with Mr Simpson.

• Click on the green play icon for a photo slideshow of second half match action

"It is so frustrating that we end a game like that talking only about the referee," said an angry Holdsworth.

"I do not like saying anything about referees but what I feel about Mr Simpson will be reflected in my report.

"If there was an assessor watching him he would be down to park level after that.

"There were things going on out there that I can't train for, I would have been better off sending a gang in to play them. I am here to stand up for this football club.

"I thought we played really well in the second half with some fantastic football and we dominated it.

"But there were issues with the game that should have been dealt with better – it was poor judgement by the officials.

"I won't criticise other teams or managers but I think something should have been done about Barrow's time-wasting, particularly how long their keeper held onto the ball.

"How can he book Aaron O'Connor for diving when it was a blatant penalty? The lad took a swing at the ball and never made contact, the ball did not move away from him.

"The penalty he gave them was never a penalty. Their lad missed his header and the ball just hit Scott Garner on the hand. It was not intentional.

"Where did he get that five minutes from at the end?

"Alan Marriott was sent off and I can't defend him. But he was man-handled when he was on the floor and responded to that. He knows he shouldn't have done, but the referee didn't see what had gone on before. The instigator is never the one given the red card.

"Our fans were absolutely outstanding today. They could see in that second half the passion and drive from our players."

Aaron O'Connor, who looked to have won it with his 79th minute goal added: "Barrow never looked like scoring – we defended well throughout the game. Apart from a couple of free kicks we gave away I thought we looked comfortable.

"I had managed to get 15 minutes in at the end of the first half to get going (after coming on as sub) so I was up for it after the break and we managed to produce the fast start the manager had asked for.

"He said if we upped the tempo they wouldn't be able to live with us and that was the case.

"I should have had a definite penalty but I was booked instead.

"There was a lot going on out there and it was probably great for a neutral supporter.

"Barrow were a physical side and we showed we are able to mix it and earn the right to play. We had so many chances the game should have been dead and buried.

"I think they came here hoping to nick a point and they did what they came to do.

"I have not played as much as I would have liked in the last five or six weeks but maybe now I will get a chance to show the manager a bit more of what I can do. Hopefully I can score a few more before the season ends."

Ryan Williams scored Stags' other goal – a 25 yard screamer into the top corner and said: "I cut in, saw the opportunity and pulled the trigger.

"I caught it sweet as a nut and it was nice to score. I am here to create chances but also to chip in with a few goals myself.

"It was soul-destroying not to win that. We played something like we can in the second half but losing that goal so late today leaves you feeling like you got beaten rather than a draw."

Barrow joint boss David Bayliss said: "I thought we shaded the first half, but we needed the great finish at the end to get something out of the game and were perhaps quite lucky after the second half.

"We knew Mansfield would come at us in the second half and they left us at sixes and sevens at times and stretched us.

"But the lads rolled their sleeves up and perhaps we deserved the point at the end.

"I was disappointed with their two goals, especially the second. It was just a direct free kick into the box and a flick-on. I thought we had stopped conceding goals like that.

"I was also disappointed with our strikers today, they lost the ball too easily and were not strong enough in the tackle.

"We were fortunate to be able to throw two players on to freshen it up and fortunately Nick got the goal.

"I was not too confident that we would score from the free kick at the end as we have done well from them lately, but
Sheridan showed a touch of class to lift the ball over the wall. He was unlucky not to score himself, but Nick was in the right place at the right time.

"He is an impact player, very quick and strong, and a good player to be able to bring on.

"Not getting beaten at Kettering and Mansfield must give us confidence, but today our performance was not as good as at Kettering.

"But it is a point gained and makes Monday so important.

"We need to get three points. All games from now are going to be like cup finals.

"Gareth Jelleyman is touch and go for Monday. I have been really impressed with him, he has a great left foot, and if he doesn't make it we will miss him."

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