Andy Cook earns Mansfield Town a point at Crewe

Mansfield’s Andy Cook celebrates his equaliser against Crewe Alexandra.

MANSFIELD picked up a point on the road with a 1-1 draw at Crewe Alexandra.

Andy Cook cancelled out Chuma Anene’s opener at Gresty Road as both goals came in the first half.

Manager John Dempster named just one change to the side that was hammered 3-0 at home to Cheltenham last time out.

Teenager James Clarke made his first league appearance since August as Jacob Mellis made way.

The Stags were desperate to bounce back from their thumping and saw an early chance go begging when Nicky Maynard was denied by Will Jaaskelainen one-on-one – one of several opportunities for the striker.

And within the blink of an eye the visitors found themselves behind in the eighth minute.

Loanee Anene completed a fine move to fire home his third goal in two games after Charlie Kirk played him in.

But the Stags switched from defence into attack to score their first goal outside of EFL Trophy football for almost 400 minutes when Cook levelled in the 27th minute..

Goalkeeper Bobby Olejnik got an unlikely assist as Cook latched on to his upfield ball before calmly chipping over stunned shot-stopper Jaaskelainen.

Cook could have doubled his tally minutes later when he headed Alex MacDonald’s pinpoint ball wide.

The first half ended as it started with Maynard being frustrated by Jaaskelainen as the Stags upped the ante.

After the break Maynard squandered his third big chance of the afternoon when he fired over from inside the box.

The hosts upped the tempo around the hour mark and created a couple of presentable chances.

First Malvind Benning was in the right place at the right time to clear Oliver Finney’s strike off the line.

Then Stags’ shot-stopper Olejnik produced a sprawling save to turn away substitute James Jones’ free-kick.

Maynard’s best effort came when he agonisingly diverted MacDonald’s cross on to the post, before being kept out by Jaaskelainen again.

Crewe: Jaaskelainen, Ng, Hunt, Nolan, Pickering, Wintle, Finney (Ainley, 71), Lowery (Jones, 51), Powell (Dale, 80), Anene, Kirk.Unused subs: Richards, Johnson, Mbulu.Mansfield: Olejnik, Clarke, Preston, Sweeney, Benning, MacDonald, Shaughnessy (Sterling-James, 67), Bishop, Hamilton, Maynard (Khan, 88), Cook (Rose, 80).Unused subs: Logan, Pearce, Mellis, Smith.Referee: Kevin JohnsonAttendance: 4,060 (312)