The two replies were only the fifth and sixth goals conceded in David Holdsworth's 12 games in charge and Andy Pugh's winner came four minutes into time added on.

• Holdsworth slams late lapses/Clare's bitter-sweet pill - all the post-match reaction

Clare made his eagerly awaited Stags debut as a 67th minute sub and within six minutes had notched his first goal for the club.

It was no more than the visitors deserved after a poor first half by both sides had been wiped away with some good pressure.

But Clare's headlines were stolen by Grays sub Jamie Slabber who joined the action on 74 minutes and on 82 minutes headed Grays level.

Then Slabber turned provider right at the death as he crossed for Pugh to beat Alan Marriott was a superb header.

Further bad blood between the clubs was evident before the game when Aaron O'Connor was refused admission to the ground.

Earlier in the season Grays had reported Stags for signing striker O'Connor when they claimed they wanted to take up their year's option on keeping him.

Mansfield were cleared of any wrong-doing by the FA after a lengthy investigation but Grays' unpredictable chairman Mick Woodward, who ran the bench again today, decided to turn O'Connor away - which should have fired up the visitors.

• Grays ban O'Connor

But the first half was a drab and scrappy affair with Stags only forcing home keeper Rob Beckwith into one save with a low shot.

Stags stepped up a gear after the break and, after Pugh has wasted a gilt-edged chance with a close range header, began to create chances with Scott Garner twice very close,

Clare's quickfire goal after coming in looked like it would be the end of the home side's resistance.

Instead sub Slabber scored one and made the other to ruin the day for the noisy 154 Stags fans in the crowd of 802 in the Essex sunshine.

Mansfield had brought back boxing midfielder Curtis Woodhouse for the suspended Matt Somner. That was the only change from the side which defeated Forest Green Rovers 3-0 at Field Mill a week earlier, when Somner was red carded.

Recent signing, top striker Clare started on the bench for the first time at relegation threatened Grays, after scoring in midweek for the reserves following his signing from Rushden.

But he got his chance to make a mark as a substitute just after the hour mark.

The pre-match team talk was an easy one for David Holdsworth as he fired up the players with news of striker Aaron O'Connor being turned away from the ground by Grays - following the dispute over his signing for the Stags from Grays at the start of the season.

Gray began menacingly with a strong run by Huson-odoi down the left to force a corner.

Thurgood tested Marriott from 30 yards with a low shot that he safely gathered.

Silk set Arnold away down the right wing on seven minutes and the Stags winger did well to keep the ball in play, cut inside Beavan and cross but it was slightly overhit and Duffy was unable to get there.

There was more danger from a Hudson-odoi cross that bounced in the six yard box but flew up too high for Cogan to strike as it came harmlessly off his knees to Marriott.

The Grays ground is overlooked by several flats and at this stage we had the surreal sight of an old lady ducking in horror as a Stags clearance almost struck her as she watched the game from her open window!

• Video interview with Curtis Woodhouse

Back on the pitch, a Taylor shot struck Garner after Pugh's clever backheel had set up the chance.

Woodhouse was well wide with a snapshot for Stags after the ball had bounced his way off the back of Arnold's head.

Stags were struggling to get their game together and were also falling foul of many of the refereeing decisions.

Garner and Duffy both had shots blocked in Stags' best spell of pressure so far on 27 minutes, the spell ending with Williams beating his man but crossing onto the top of the net.

On 29 minutes Stallard almost put Stags ahead as he burst into the box on the right and, as Wilnis challenged, got in a low well-struck shot which forced Beckwith to dive and turn away for a corner.

At this point referee Ian Cooper limped off the pitch with a pulled muscle and assistant Paul Forrester took over with a tannoy announcement asking for anyone qualified to act as fourth official.

When the corner was finally taken Beckwith easily grabbed Williams' inswinging kick.

Thurgood found Pugh on 34 minutes and he tried to curl a finish round Marriott from 18 yards but the keeper was always perfectly placed to gather.

Mayo put Marriott under pressure with a short backpass that invited Pugh to chase it, the keeper just beating him to it and clearing.

Woodhouse gave away a free kick 25 yards from goal in first half stoppage time which Elliott curled over the wall but straight at Marriott.

And there was still for Garner to get a flicked header into Beckwith's hands from a decent left wing Mayo cross.

The two added on minutes stretched into a fourth as Stags cleared another Grays free kick before the whistle finally went.

It had been a hard-fought but untidy half on a bobbly pitch with neither side taking much of a grip.

Marriott had to pull off a great save three minutes into the second half as Williams gave the ball away, Elliott crossed and Pugh, unmarked and five yards from goal, got his header on target but too close to Marriott who was able to block what looked a certain goal

On 49 minutes Elliott was booked for jumping into a tackle on Williams who then saw his free kick easily cleared.

Stuart was penalised for having an arm across Duffy's face as they jumped on the edge of the box, giving Mansfield a very inviting free kick from just left of centre. Arnold looked set to take it but Mayo was the eventual taker, lifting a left foot curler over the wall and bar.

A tame Black shot was no problem for Marriott in a rare home attack as the visitors finally started to take a grip.

And they should have gone ahead on 58 minutes as Garner rose to meet a Williams corner from the right only to see his header go wide of the left hand upright.

Two more corners followed and, from the second, Duffy headed back across goal into the centre where garner again rose to head but this time saw the ball clear the bar.

Furious at being robbed by Woodhouse, Thurgood launched himself into a follow-up tackle on Stallard which left the Mansfield striker needing treatment and Thurgood in the book.

The ball was eventually hoisted into the box where a real scramble ensued that Grays eventually survived.

Stags continued to get closer to the breakthrough and on 65 minutes Duffy put Arnold in down the centre. His shot deflected perfectly into the path of Stallard whose low shot was well saved at the near post.

That proved to be Stallard and Arnold's final action as they were replaced by Clare for his debut and Briscoe.

Clare – who has a habit of scoring on debuts – took just six minutes to open his Mansfield account and break Grays' resistance.

It was created by fellow sub Briscoe as he ran down the left and drilled the ball in hard and low across the face of goal where arch-poacher Clare applied the all-important finishing touch.

Elliott was well off target with a shot for the home side. Then a poor clearance from Silk gifted the ball to Hudson-odoi who ran past him and sent a low ball in which Marriott grabbed.

Cogan was closer with a dipping shot from outside the box after he was afforded time and space which brought the visitors a verbal volley from Holdsworth on the touchline.

But, with the game seemingly in the bag, Stags allowed Grays back into the game with just eight minutes left.

Beavon slung over a cross from the left and sub Slabber emulated Clare by heading powerfully home from five yards just eight minutes after coming on.

Thankfully Marriott was well positioned to snatch Stuart's flicked header from a long free kick.

MacKenzie was thrown on for Williams for the last couple of minutes to see if Stags could find a winner.

Instead it was the home side who snatched an unlikely victory in the fourth minute of stoppage time.

A long Slabber cross from the left picked out Pugh in the box and he flicked a superb header just out of Marriott's reach and inside the post.

GRAYS: Beckwith, Stuart, Elliott, Beavan, Taylor (Dinning 69), Cogan, Wilnis, Black (Davis 67), Hudson-odoi, Thurgood (Slabber 74), Pugh. Subs not used: Quiston, Batchelor.

STAGS: Marriott, Silk, Mayo, Moses, Garner, Williams (MacKenzie 89), Arnold (Briscoe 67), Stallard (Clare 67), Duffy, D'Laryea, Woodhouse. Subs not used: White, Havern.

REFEREE: Mr I. Cooper.

ATTENDANCE: 802 (154 away).

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