Battling Mansfield Town take hard-earned point at Doncaster Rovers after injury jinx hits them again

Stags lost skipper Alfie Kilgour with a serious ankle injury when he was stretchered off after 17 minutes, then Callum Johnson, who like Kilgour, went down with no one near him, limped off five minutes later with what seemed to be a hamstring injury while Aaron Lewis could not come back out for the second half

Even sub 23rd minute sub Hiram Boateng limped off on 58 minutes, but Stags refused to go under and earned a deserved point in a game they largely dominated to keep their unbeaten start going before an appreciative army of 2,200 away fans.

Summer signings Thomas Nixon and Joe Ironside twice put the hosts ahead at the Keepmoat.

But Maris earned the Stags a point after Louis Reed had equalised earlier in the night.

Nigel Clough had named an unchanged side and there were welcome returns on the bench for Will Swan and Maris, Swan from injury and Maris after his partner gave birth on Sunday.

Stags flew out of the blocks and looked full of confidence.

And it was captain Kilgour who went closest to opening the scoring early on as he thundered a header, from Aden Flint’s cross, against the left post.

But Stags faced a nervy wait before seeing the centre-back stretchered off after just 17 minutes after lengthy treatment

After being deflated by seeing their team-mate hauled off with what is believed tp be a snapped Achilles tendon, the visitors conceded shortly after as Hull City loanee Nixon unleashed a vicious, rising 30-yard volley, after bringing the ball down with his chest, in the 20th minute after Stephen Quinn had blocked Broadbent's initial shot.

To make matters worse Clough was forced into a second change as Johnson came off injured three minutes later.

Stags’ stopper Christy Pym did well to deny the hosts a second as he kept out Tommy Rowe from close range at the back post on 23 minutes from a far post cross.

Down the other end, Lucas Akins forced Ian Lawlor into a good low save at his near post after catching Doncaster on the break.

But Mansfield grabbed the equaliser in the 42nd minute as Reed headed home after Rhys Oates powered his way to the byline on the right before crossing to the far post.

It was almost two in the blink of an eye as Davis Keillor-Dunn, who has already scored three league goals this term, was frustrated by Lawlor moments after racing onto a ball over the top.

Akins moved to right back at the break with Swan thrown up front in a thrilling, largely one-sided second half.

Oates was a constant danger and another cross caused problems as Lawlor parried to substitute Maris, who saw his rebound well blocked by Wood from close range in a huge scramble on the hour.

Clough’s charges looked the more likely to grab a late winner heading into the final 15 minutes.

But they were caught against the run of play as Ironside restored the hosts’ lead with a thunderous effort in the 76th minute after Rowe’s strike was parried by Pym.

The chance stemmed from a poor pass from Jordan Bowery that left Baily Cargill in trouble near the corner flag.

But Stags continued to press and after Quinn had headed over a good chance form close range from an Oates cross, Maris grabbed a share of the spoils on 80 minutes as he drilled into the bottom corner from 22 yards from Quinn's low pull-back.

Stags pushed hard for a winner in stoppage time but had to settle for a very hard-earned point.

DONCASTER: Lawlor, Nixon, Olowu, Anderson (Wood, 42), Senior, Broadbent, Bailey, Rowe, Molyneux (Roberts, 76), Ironside (Sotona, 89) , Westbrook (Falle, 69).

Unused subs: Brown, Maxwell, Jones.

STAGS: Pym, Johnson (Boateng, 23; Maris, 58), Kilgour (Bowery, 17), Flint, Cargill, Reed, Lewis (Swan, 45), Quinn (Clarke, 88), Keillor-Dunn, Oates, Akins.

Unused subs: Flinders, Cooper.

REFEREE: Lewis Smith

ATTENDANCE: 7,793 (2,200 away).