Blackwood's 65th minute cross somehow ended up in the net to launch the fightback and then he turned goal maker two minutes from time, crossing for Mark Stallard to secure a dramatic 2-2 draw.

• McEwan hails battling Stags . . . and fans
  
  
  • Ebbsfleet 2 Mansfield Town 2

Afterwards Blackwood, one of nine Stags league debutants, said of his goal: "I tried to dink it to the back post for someone to finish off at the back post, but it went in before anyone else touched it."

Blackwood's thrilling attacking play in the second half helped to transform the Stags and afterwards he said: "The gaffer has given me licence to keep attacking and get forward, so hopefully it will be the first of quite a few this season.

"Home or away we are going to attack. If you are going to do well in any league then you need your midfielders to chip in with goals.

"It was very pleasing to get a point away from home. We stuck at it and in the end we got the point we deserved."

"It was always going to be hard with all our new signings, but the boss has put a lot of time in on the training park to try to get us to gel and play together.

"It was great at the end to get the equaliser and great to get a point.

"To come from behind at 2-0 shows a lot of character already.

"The support from the away fans was great and hopefully we gave them something to cheer about at the end. It was very pleasing to the players to see so many fans come such a long way."

Striker Jason Lee added: "We have got to be pleased. In the first half we didn't get going, but really it was the classic game of two halves and in the second half we gave it a real go.

"We pressed them and created a lot more chances second half and might have gone on to win the game."

Lee had three chances to score himself in the second half fightback and struck up an immediate rapport with the Stags fans.

And he urged them to go to Field Mill on Tuesday for the first home League match against Histon. He said: "The club has had a lot of gloom and doom over the years, now it is a lot more positive. Hopefull they will come along on Tuesday and cheer us on."