BRAVE Mansfield Town finally ended their losing run in a thrilling lunchtime kick-off in north London.
The Stags, beaten for seven successive matches, upset the form book as they looked the better side against Barnet, despite the Londoners' four-match winning run.
However, the visitors were indebted to a couple of superb saves by veteran keeper Carl Muggleton to preserve their point in a nervy finish.
First he superbly saved Jason Puncheon's late penalty and then in the fifth minute of injury time he athletically held on to Porter's goalbound finish. Sandwiched in between, the visitors rode their luck when a deflected shot hit the post.
The Stags, who had gone close to taking the lead four times in the latter stages of the first half, got the goal they deserved just two minutes into the second period.
Simon Brown - one of the wasteful finishers earlier on - broke the deadlock with his first goal since returning from injury.
The Stags' injury jinx struck again when they lost makeshift full back Dan Martin early in the second half - teenager Ryan Goward, a midfielder, making his debut for Mansfield, having to fill in at full back and putting in an impressive display.
The visitors continued to defend well and look dangerous on the break, but Barnet levelled 18 minutes from time, former Stags striker Adam Birchall creating the chancee for Liam Hatch to level.
However, despite that penalty and late pressure, Mansfield held on for a fully deserved point.
Former Stags' striker Birchall twice threatened an early goal against his former club. First his shot was comfortably saved by Muggleton, showing no ill effects from his broken nose and then dizzy spells a week earlier.
Moments later penalty appeals from the home side for a foul on Birchall were waved away.
Mansfield's injury jinx almost struck again after just 10 minutes when Dawson was left writhing in agony on the turf by Bell's 'hospital pass'. But following two minutes' treatment, the midfielder was able to continue.
Then Martin went down after clattering into the advertising boards, but he recovered quickly.
Barnet's passing style saw them dominate possession in the opening 20 minutes, but they did not carve out too many openings apart from at set pieces.
From one when Mullins conceded an 18th minute free kick, Carew's swerving free kick had to be headed clear by Bell.
In the 21st minute the Stags had their first effort on goal, a long range Hamshaw drive easily held by Harrison.
Then Brown appealed for a penalty after being blocked by Burton on the edge of the area. The ball ran away for the Stags' first corner of the match, but they failed to force the keeper into a save.
However, the visitors then carved out two glorious chances midway through the half and should have taken the lead.
In the 24th minute Boulding was put clear by Arnold's pass, but keeper Harrison saved in a one-on-one situation.
Two minutes later Dawson's fine right wing cross picked out Mullins at the far post, but his header flew back across the face of goal rather than into the net.
On the half hour Bell's terrific 20 yard free kick was tipped over the bar by the outstretched arm of Harrison. Again the Stags failed to make the most of the following corner, Martin heading wide.
At the other end Porter fired wide as Barnet posed a rare threat towards half-time.
In first half injury time, with the Stags again back in the ascendancy, Devera's timely header denied Boulding a goal.
Then Brown and Boulding again squandered golden chances. First Boulding's poor first touch from a clever Dawson pass let him down and then when the ball ran to Brown he rounded the keeper, but blazed wide.
That meant the visitors had wasted four great goalscoring opportunities after dominating the last 25 minutes of the half and looking the best side.
But there was no mistake just two minutes into the second half when the ball skidded off the top of a Barnet head and Brown latched onto the ball, raced into the area and fired across keeper Harrison and into the net.
The goal, Brown's first of the season, sparked bizarre goal celebrations among the Stags players as they imitated summer signing Martin, whom they had just found out used to be in a boy band!
Two minutes later Martin went down injured for the second time in the match and had to limp off for treatment for a couple of minutes.
Puncheon's speculative shot was comfortably saved by Muggleton before Mansfield's injury jinx did strike again - and it almost cost them a goal.
With Martin again injured and walking off to be substituted - after the assistant referee had held up his board for the change - half-time substitute Hatch nearly levelled, lashing over the bar, with the Stags having switched off expecting the substitution.
Martin was eventually replaced as Ryan Goward made his debut for the Stags, the left hand sided midfielder having to slot in at left back.
Mansfield might have doubled their lead from two Brown crosses, one almost found Boulding and then from the second Mullins' pull-back struck the woodwork in the 62nd minute.
Hatch had added extra power and height to the home attack in an exciting start to the second period and it needed a fine block by Buxton to keep him out three minutes later.
But the striker made no mistake in the 71st minute when Birchall created the chance for him to fire in the equaliser - just moments after a double substitution by Barnet boss Paul Fairclough.
Three minutes later Birchall glanced narrowly wide as the goal gave the Bees a real lift.
In the 78th minute Barnet's fightback seemed complete when Boulding was penalised, possibly for a handball, inside the penalty area.
But from Puncheon's spot kick Muggleton pulled off a fine penalty save, diving low to knock the ball up into the air. Then from the rebound Hatch's effort was blocked and the Stags scrambled the ball away.
Solid defending from Mullins kept out the danger at a Birchall cross six minutes from time as the home side poured forward in search of a winner.
Then Muggleton held Hatch's fierce shot from another good Birchall pass.
In a frantic finish Hatch then struck the post, his poor finish deflected past the stranded keeper before it trickled against the woodwork as the game entered five minutes of injury time.
Two crosses by substitute Thomas caused problems for the visitors' defence in the nail-biting extra five minutes, but the Stags defended solidly.
Then in the last seconds Bishop's goalbound effort from a Nicolau cross was clutched by Muggleton, another fine save by the keeper, to ensure that the visitors at last ended their losing run.
MANSFIELD TOWN: Muggleton, Mullins, Buxton, John-Baptiste, Martin (Goward 54mins), Hamshaw, Dawson, Bell, Arnold (Sleath 80mins), Boulding, Brown. Subs: White, Kitchen, Holmes.
BARNET: Harrison, Devera (Hendon 69mins), Burton, O'Cearuill, Nicolau, Carew, Bishop, Porter (Thomas 70mins), Puncheon, Birchall, Norville (Hatch, 45mins). Subs: Beckwith, Seanla.
ATTENDANCE: 2,041
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