Mansfield Town held to frustrating draw at home to Newport County after James Perch is sent off

George Lapslie looks to cut the ball back during a night of frustration for Stags.

Below-par Mansfield had struggled to get into the stride with visiting goalkeeper Joe Day rarely tested during the opening hour.

And their task was made that little bit harder when James Perch was dismissed just before the hour for two bookable offences.

The Welshman had seen the best chance of the game go begging shortly before the red-card after Christy Pym saved well from Priestley Farquharson.

But Stags were certainly worthy of a battling point with the Welshman failing to turn the screw with their numerical advantage.

Stags made three changes from the team defeated at Crawley at the weekend.

Kieran Wallace, James Perch and Hiram Boateng were given starting places at the expense of Riley Harbottle, Jordan Bowery and Will Swan.

The visitors were guided by former Mansfield manager Graham Coughlin following his appointment as Exiles boss last week.

Pym was forced into an early save from Will Evans after Anthony Hartigan gave the ball away cheaply.

George Maris headed Elliott Hewitt’s cross wide of the post on 10 minutes as Stags grew into the game.

Scot Bennett volleyed into the side netting, before James Waite also went close on 18 minutes.

James Perch picked up a booking four minutes before half-time for a foul on Cameron Norman.

George Lapslie fired a shot straight at Joe Day in stoppage-time following a Stags free-kick.

Pym kept out a Farquharson's close range header following an Adam Lewis free-kick at the start of the second half.

Maris could only pick out Day from the edge of the box as Stags looked to get going.

Mickey Demetriou picked up a booking following a heavy challenge on Hewitt on 57 minutes

Stags were down to 10 men two minutes later when Perch was dismissed for a double booking after hacking down on Omar Bogle.

Bennett fired over from distance on 73 minutes, before Pym tipped over a dinked cross from Norma at the back post with two minutes to go.

Bennett volleyed over in stoppage time as Stags saw the game out safely.

Mansfield Town: Pym, Hewitt, Hawkins, Perch, Wallace (Bowery 45), Hartigan (O’Toole 84), Clarke, Maris (Gordon 89), Boateng (Swan 66), Lapslie, Akins.

Subs: Flinders, Law, Gale.

Newport County: Day, Clarke, Farquharson, Demetriou, Norman, Moriah-Welsh, Bennett, Waite (Wildig 58), Lewis, Bogle, Evans (Nevers 70).

Subs: Drysdale, Willmott, Dolan, Collins, Townsend.

Ref: Samuel Barrott.

Att: 5,624 (115)