Everything went against Mansfield in a disastrous first half as Matt Hamshaw was stretchered off to hospital after a 10-minute hold-up with a head injury and then John Mullins was sent off for two bookable offences.

But Mansfield stood firm in a tenacious second half with keeper Carl Muggleton pulling off two saves and the outstanding Lee Bell producing a goal line clearance - all inside one crazy minute - as they held on for a thoroughly deserved point that saw them leapfrog Wrexham and Lincoln City.

Tricky wingers Marc Pugh and Neil Wainwright put in crosses from both flanks, but Stags held firm for a second successive clean sheet

• Hamshaw on the mend

Stags were unchanged for the third successive game after Dawson passed a fitness test on his dead leg.

Mansfield midfielder Bell had a go from 30 yards in the opening minute after an inside pass from Arnold, but it was always going wide.

Mullins produced an excellent tackle to stop the exciting run of Pugh down the centre but he then dived into a follow-up tackle as the ball ran to Ashton and caught him late earning a third minute booking.

Stags were down to 10 men for a short time as Boulding was treated on the touchline for a bang in the face. He finally returned with cotton up his nose to stem the blood flow and a new shirt with no name or number on it.

The home side first threatened on six minutes as Hunt's throw came off a defender and Drummond popped up with a header wide of Muggleton's goal.

Shrewsbury hooked clear the first Mansfield corner on 11 minutes.

Mullins did well to steer a good defensive header wide of his own goal after Hunt had hurled a long throw right into the danger area and Stags cleared the corner after a moment's anxiety.

Bell was again wide from 30 yards though a little nearer the target with his low effort.

Brown tried to trick his way through a posse of home defenders 20 yards from goal but, with Hamshaw having run into space invitingly to his right, he saw his hopeful shot blocked and deflect up into keeper Garner's arms.

Hunt's long throws were better than corners and three more were bombed in and defended.

There were home calls for a penalty against Dawson for handball as he blocked a cross, but all the Shrews got was a corner which was cleared. But Hibbert eventually got the ball back across to the far post where Murdock headed wide on 23 minutes.

A minute later Pugh cut in from the left and went on a superb run which ended with a dipping 25 yard shot going just over Muggleton's crossbar.

A Hamshaw free kick from the right was headed out to Martin 30 yards from goal and blazed well over the top.

On the half hour referee Mr Melin blew for what appeared to be climbing by Tierney on Hamshaw. But the Stags man stayed down and a stretcher was eventually called for.

Hamshaw remained motionless on his side throughout the lengthy hold-up and further support was brought out to attach to him and the stretcher which suggested the injury could be serious.

After almost 10 minutes, he was finally lifted and carried off sporting a neck brace to applause from all four sides of the ground.

On came Jelleyman to replace him, Arnold switching to the right and the sub taking over on the left of midfield.

And he almost opened the scoring two minutes later as he got something onto an Arnold cross but the ball seemed to hit him and a defender in front of goal and float wide.

Langmead really should have broken the deadlock as we entered nine minutes of stoppage time, but he only got a glancing head onto Hunt's corner right in front of goal when a firm one would surely have found the net.

Pugh used his pace to go past two Stags players down the left but his cross-cum-shot was always wide of the near post.

Tierney was well over from 20 yards with a first time pot from a half clearance as added time dragged into a fifth minute.

The never-ending first half was held up again as Arnold needed treatment for an ankle injury after sliding into a tackle.

But Stags' afternoon sunk further downhill in the 10th minute of added time as Mullins caught Tierney late and Mr Melin decided it was enough for a second yellow and Mullins, who had just been warned over a previous foul, was dismissed.

Stags players remonstrated with Mr Melin as they left the field for a much-needed break but the visitors knew they were up against it for the second half with everything going against them.

Stags switched things round at the break with Arnold withdrawn and McAllister on, Bell moving to right back, Brown right midfield, McAllister central midfield and Boulding on his own up front.

At least the long throw menace of Hunt was lost for the visitors as the Shrews replaced him with on-loan Darlington signing Wainwright.

On 52 minutes the Stags goal led a charmed life as Muggleton pulled off two first class saves.

First Pugh's left wing cross was controlled by Wainwright on the chest before crashing in a shot which Muggleton parried. The ball was put back in for Hibbert to get in a close range header which the Stags keeper somehow got his wrists around and clawed off the line.

Still the ball was in there and this time it was Pugh who got in a powerful on-target header that beat Muggleton only to find Bell perfectly placed to head off the line.

A minute later Langmead flicked a header wide and the pressure subsided.

Stags were under heavy pressure with the ball coming back at them every time from their long clearances to the lone front man.

However, McAllister did make ground into the Shrews' half on 59 minutes and Brown flicked his pass into the path of Boulding who cut inside a defender before hitting his finish well over the top. How Mansfield could have done with that finding the net.

Bell was well wide from a 30 yard free kick soon after. But Stags had gone past the hour mark without conceding which was something at least.

Bizarrely Shrewsbury sub Hall was booked for something he said while warming up on the right.

Then a Martin free kick floated into the box from the right was allowed to bounce but was cleared before anyone could capitalise.

The 400-strong away following were in full cry behind their side now as we entered the last quarter of the game.

Pugh's cross on 71 minutes was met by Hibbert but his header was wide of the far post.

Brown's persistence chasing a long ball caused problems in the home box and his blocked shot ran to Boulding who saw his shot deflect for a corner.

A Martin free kick was headed clear and McAllister's curling follow-up from distance was held above his head and under the bar by Garner.

As the clock ticked down, Pugh cut inside and had a shot blocked, Hibbert was well over with a shot on the turn and Drummond flicked a header wide from another Pugh cross.

Stags broke from the intense pressure two minutes from the end for Boulding to flash a tame shot across goal.

Mansfield cleared a Tierney free kick in the 90th minute as the fourth official announced four minutes were to be added.

Tierney headed away a Boulding cross intended for Brown in another break.

Then Muggleton was booked for delaying taking a free kick.

Stags conceded a free kick 25 yards from goal with just over a minute of stoppage time to go which Tierney whipped well over to the relief of Mansfield.

Mansfield wasted more precious seconds by sending on Sleath for Martin.

The half entered a 50th minute as Muggleton came for and confidently caught Ashton's centre and Stags knew they were home and dry for a hard-earned point.

SHREWS: Garner, Ashton, Drummond, Kempson (Symes 77), Hunt (Wainwright h/t), Pugh, Langmead, Hibbert, Herd, Murdock, Tierney. Subs not used: Nicholson, Hall, Esson.
STAGS: Muggleton, Mullins, Bell, Hamshaw (Jelleyman 38), Dawson, Brown, M. Boulding, Buxton, John-Baptiste, Martin (Sleath 90), Arnold. Subs not used: White, Holmes.