Dominant Stags failed to secure maximum points, despite bossing the second half after they wasted a succession of glorious chances in front of goal.

• Barrow 2 Mansfield Town 1

Striker Mark Stallard amazingly failed to convert a header from just six yards out in the second half, while Michael Blackwood, Nathan Arnold and Jason Lee also wasted good chances to seal victory.

Speaking after the game a downbeat McEwan told Chad: "We are very disappointed to have come away with nothing when we looked good for a point.

"This is a hard place to come, but we had enough chances in the second half to win this game. We played well, but shouldn't have conceded when we did.

"We lost our focus when we scored the first goal. Stallard will be disappointed with his missed chances, but he is a good professional and he will get over it.

"Barrow deserve credit, they played well and put us under pressure. We knew what they were all about, they are all about long balls and throw-ins, but we dealt with what they threw at us well right until the end of the game.

And angry McEwan also criticised the referee for denying Stags what he claimed was 'blatant' penalty when Stallard appeared to be held back in the box during the second half.

"The game turned on the penalty decision," said McEwan. "It was a blatant penalty, when I asked the ref about it at half-time he said he had been unsighted, but everyone in the ground saw it.

"It was an unbelievable decision and I can't believe the referee didn't give us the decision."