STAGS old boy Adam Birchall grabbed a heartbreaking equaliser as a triple substitution rescued Barnet an unlikely point after they had trailed 2-0 at Field Mill on Saturday afternoon.
Mansfield knew at the end that this was two safety points tossed away, but they still gained a point on Notts County and Dagenham, who both lost, so they are now three points from safety with five games to go.
Superb finishes from Mickey Boulding and Matty Hamshaw had Stags cruising against a shot-shy Bees side who had lost four of their last five away games and were missing three of their regular back four.
And, had Jefferson Louis put away one of two close range headers at 2-0 it would have been game, set and match.
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But Paul Fairclough sent on three subs on 68 minutes and one, Anthony Thomas, pulled a goal back within two minutes before, seven minutes later, another, Jason Puncheon, saw his free kick hit a post and third sub Birchall pounce quickest on the loose ball.
Stags were looking for their first back to back League wins in 13 months and came so close.
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Now they must quickly wipe away the bitter taste of a draw that feels like a defeat to go to Stockport (Wednesday) and Macclesfield (Saturday) and gain points.
Unchanged Stags began well against a strong wind in their faces and won a third minute corner which saw Mullins just miss the ball as he ran in to try to head it and then Arnold have a shot blocked.
The Bees then cleared a second corner a minute later after Hamshaw's low shot had taken a deflection wide.
Adomah made a strong run into the home box on seven minutes, evading two tackles before his eventual shot was blocked by Jelleyman.
Hamshaw whipped a great ball across the face of goal on 12 minutes and Parkes was able to clear as a static Louis failed to stick out a leg.
But Stags achieved the vital breakthrough on 14 minutes.
Hamshaw's ball to Boulding saw him exchange passes with Louis and then, surrounded by two defenders and with the keeper to beat, somehow wriggle through all three to slot into the empty net.
Mullins was desperately unlucky on 22 minutes as he controlled Boulding's flick inside, skill fully flicked the bal round a defender only to crash his volley just the wrong side of Harrison's left hand post.
A good burst from Mullins onto a loose ball saw him find Boulding just inside the box where he beat one defender but was tackled by a second just before he could shoot or find Louis to his left.
Barnet, employing a single striker, rarely threatened the home goal but on 38 minutes Adomoah was afforded too much space on the right and cut into curl one just wide of the far post.
In the last minute of the first half Hamshaw was only just over as he hoisted a shot above Harrison from 18 yards as the ball broke for him.
Stags still had a free kick to defend in stoppage time but their goal remained intact at the break with the prospect of the wind behind them in the second half.
Muggleton safely gathered a Carew free kick on 48 minutes, then Porter pulled a 25 yard effort well wide as the Bees made the busier start to the second half.
When Louis got a touch onto Boulding's low ball across the box it almost reached the unmarked Arnold six yards from goal only for Parkes to get a vital nick away. Then Mullins could only stretch to hook a far post ball back into the arms of the keeper.
This was better from the Stags and Boulding twice came close. On 52 minutes, from Hamshaw's pass, he forced a good save from the keeper, diving to his right to concede the corner.
A minute later Boulding was afforded more room 18 yards out and this time saw his shot deflect just wide for another corner.
Buxton looked to have won a penalty on 54 minutes when he was blatantly shoved in the back at a corner but no penalty was awarded.
Muggleton did have a save to make seconds later as Adomah, playing a more central role as a second striker, chased a through ball and sent a half volley straight at Muggleton who was able to parry.
But Mansfield did grab the all-important second goal on 55 minutes. Hamshaw picked the ball up on the edge of the box and flicked it over the head of St Aimie before lobbing Harrison to perfection from 15 yards.
It was almost 3-0 on the hour as Arnold chested down Jelleyman's pass and sent it over. Louis was at full stretch to head it and, though he made contact and was only five yards out, he was stretching too much to get direction and the ball bobbled wide of the gaping goal.
Louis came even closer on 66 as he got a head onto a Boulding cross which Harrison just managed to tip onto his post.
Barnet made a triple substitution on 68 minutes with Carew, St Aimie and Akurang withdrawn and Thomas, Birchall and Puncheon thrown on.
And within two minutes the changes had worked wonders as Thomas beat Muggleton with a low 18 yard finish, just inside the keeper's right hand post.
The snow beat down as Boulding did well to recover what looked a lost cause and pull it back from the by-line for Arnold to send in a low shot that Harrison was forced to save.
But disaster struck for Mansfield on 77 minutes as a long Puncheon free kick went through everyone to hit the post and, with home defenders and Muggleton rooted, former Stag Birchall swept the rebound into the net from close range.
Sensing victory the Bees pushed forward and won their first three corners of the game while Hamshaw had to clear a Thomas effort almost off the line.
Stags sub Brown could have been the hero on 87 minutes but sent a first time effort wide after Hamshaw had pulled the ball back invitingly for him.
Puncheon was wide of the near post in stoppage time as Stags at least hung on for a point.
STAGS: Muggleton, Mullins, Jelleyman, D'Laryea, Hamshaw, Dawson, M. Boulding, Buxton, John-Baptiste, Arnold (Wainwright 79), Louis (Brown 79). Subs not used: White, Horlock, Briggs.
BARNET: Harrison, Devera, Nicolau, Bishop, Leary, Adomah, Porter, Carew (Thomas 68), Parkes, St Aimee (Birchall 68), Akurang (Puncheon 68). Subs not used: Beckwith, Tabiri.
REFEREE: Clive Oliver of Northumberland.
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