Stags had been booed off at half time after a poor first half in which they trailed 1-0 in a half of few real chances.

Louis Briscoe had earlier wasted a one on one opportunity on a cold, wet and murky afternoon.

Like on Tuesday against Forest Green, Mansfield failed to click into gear and were made to pay by Kayne McLaggon's deflected 44th minute striker.

It didn't help matters when Stags lost 10-goal striker Kyle Perry after only seven minutes with injury.

But a Paul Heckingbottom free kick went on off Challinor right in front of goal on 68 minutes with the visitors looking for an offside flag to give Mansfield a valuable point.

It would have been a major shock had Borough held on at Field Mill whee Stags have lost only once in the BSP all season and were six BSP games unbeaten against a visiting side who had not won in seven.

Stags boss David Holdsworth made four changes, Out went injured pair Jake Speight and Gary Mills while Blair Sturrock dropped to the bench and Gary Silk served a one game suspension.

With Mills out and Brough covering for Silk at right back, Somner returned from suspension to partner new boy Challinor, signed the day before on loan from Cambridge, in central midfield.

Briscoe came back in to play right wing and Duffy returned up front to partner Perry.

Keeper Knowles grabbed an early Stags corner at the second attempt.

In reply Armstrong wasn't too far over with a fourth minute attempt from 10 yards.

A Williams cross caused Borough problems as first Briscoe and then Duffy helped it on but the ball was eventually cleared.

But the Stags suffered a seventh minute blow as Perry, who had picked up some kind of injury, was withdrawn and Dobson sent on. Briscoe moved up front with Dobson on the right.

In their next raid Stags broke well from a quick thrown out by Marriott down the left. Wiliams found Dobson who fed Briscoe for a dipping shot over the top from 25 yards.

Crabb spilt the home defence with a pass behind Heckingbottom to give McLaggon space. But Heckingbottom was there to block his shot and Mansfield broke well with Duffy setting up Dobson for a shot that flew over the top.

Soon after Duffy got to the by-line and sent back a low ball into the path of Briscoe whose low right footed finish was inches wide of the near post.

Williams picked out Jones with a 20th minute free kick from the left but, unchallenged, the central defender could only send a tame header into the arms of Knowles from 10 yards.

The visitors also might have done better four minutes later as Enver-Marum reached the right by-line and his pull back looked to have set up Armstrong who completely missed his kick, the ball reaching Weatherstone behind him who at least got a low drive on target but which never looked like it would seriously test Marriott.

On 29 minutes Briscoe wasted the best chance so far. The Borough defence failed to cut out Duffy's flicked header to Dobson who played the perfect square pass to leave Briscoe in on goal with only the keeper to beat.

But his first touch was dreadful and gave Knowles enough time to leave his line and get in a crucial tackle, the loose ball eventually sailing harmlessly wide.

As the rain swept down and the gloom deepened, Austin was booked for bringing down Dobson on 36 minutes.

Jones had to leave the field for treatment to yet another facial cut and change his shirt. And Borough almost took advantage as a long kick down the centre fell nicely for Benjamin who fired the ball straight at Marriott as Heckingbottom challenged him.

But the visitors were ahead a minute from the break. Eastbourne built down the right as a low ball to Enver-Marum saw him set McLaggon on his way down the right. And he cut inside and made space before seeing his eventual finish beat Marriott to the keeper's right with the help of a deflection.

The home fans did their best to get behind Mansfield on the restart.

And another chance went begging on 49 minutes as a long diagonal ball from the right somehow sailed through everyone to Williams right in front of goal whose first touch let him down as the ball rolled to Knowles without Williams either controlling or shooting.

There was momentary worry as Marriott left his box to head clear as far as Crabb who tried to help it back over him into the empty net but was well wide on the wind.

The visitors annoyed the home crowd as they took their time over a substitution, changing their minds which player to withdraw and both players ambling slowly to the dug-out. In the end Fraser replaced goalscorer McLaggon.

A quick free kick down the left saw Eastbourne threaten through Benjamin who cut inside before launching a shot well over.

Brown was booked for hacking down Dobson but Garner could only send a tame header at Knowles from the free kick.

Ineffective sub Dobson was himself replaced by Sturrock on 62 minutes and Sturrock almost scored within seconds as Williams crossed hard and low and keeper Knowles slid in to intercept with his foot to prevent the ball reaching the Stags sub right in front of goal.

However, Stags were level out of nowhere on 68 minutes. Heckingbottom sent in a long free kick from the right which evaded everyone and found the net off Challinor just three yards in front of goal after being left in there as the line advanced,

It seemed more to have just hit him than be turned home but it went in and Stags were level.

Knowles was booked for dissent, presumable for arguing he felt Challinor was offside, and Armstrong's name was added to the book for a late tackle on Williams soon after.

Marriott was down to gather a low deflected drive by Armstrong. Then Marriott was lucky after Benjamin turned well to shoot and the ball span out of the keeper's grasp but thankfully bounced just wide for a corner,

Sturrock thought he had put Mansfield ahead on 79 minutes as he crashed home a Duffy flick from 18 yards but the flag was up for pushing by Duffy and the effort ruled out.

Benjamin took the Eastbourne booking tally to five for his sliding late challenge on Brough.

In the final minute Williams was held up on the left so checked his run and laid the ball back to Heckingbottom whose cross was met with a stooping header on target by Sturrock which Knowles safely held onto.

Three minutes of added time were signalled in which Stags forced two corners, but time simply ran out on an afternoon to forget for Mansfield who have now failed to win in three successive games at their Field Mill stronghold.

STAGS: Marriott; Brough, Garner, Jones, Heckingbottom; Briscoe, Somner, Challinor, Williams; Duffy, Perry (Dobson 7, Sturrock 62). Subs: Eley, Armstrong, Hotchkiss.

EASTBOURNE: Knowles; Baker, Austin, Elphick, Brown; Benjamin (Johnson 90+3), Weatherstone, Armstrong, Crabb; McLaggon (Fraser 56), Enver-Marum (Atkin 90 +5). Subs: Taylor, Jordan.

REFEREE: Andrew Madley of Ossett.

ATTENDANCE: 2,922 (23 away).

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