All square as Mansfield Town's wait for a win at Tranmere goes on

Mansfield Town's Craig Davies competes for the ball with Tranmere Rovers Connor Jennings; Picture by Steve Flynn/AHPIX.com, Football: Sky Bet League Two match Tranmere Rovers -V- Mansfield Town at Prenton Park, Birkenhead, Merseyside, England copyright picture Howard Roe 07973 739229

The unbeaten Stags are yet to win on the road this term and haven’t beaten Tranmere away since way back in 1985.

Manager David Flitcroft named three changes for the trip to the Wirral for the first meeting between the two sides since 2015.

Trio Bobby Olejnik, Neal Bishop and Craig Davies replaced Conrad Logan, Jacob Mellis and Calum Butcher in the starting line-up from Saturday’s draw against Colchester.

Tranmere Rovers goalkeeper Scott Davies saves at the feet of Mansfield Town's Otis Khan: Picture by Steve Flynn/AHPIX.com, Football: Sky Bet League Two match Tranmere Rovers -V- Mansfield Town at Prenton Park, Birkenhead, Merseyside, England copyright picture Howard Roe 07973 739229

Flitcroft’s Stags had their fair share of defending to do with Olejnik pulling off a string of fine saves to secure a point.

Summer signing Otis Khan, who has started life at Field Mill with three goals in his opening five games, was a constant threat for newly-promoted Rovers.

The former Barnsley boy carved out an early chance by testing Scott Davies from the end of the box and later in the half forced the hosts’ shot stopper into a stunning save to keep out a well-struck curling effort.

Down the other end Olejnik, making only his second league start for the club, did well to deny Oli Norwood with his feet after the striker raced his way into the box.

The Stags almost fortunately had the lead on the stroke of the break as defender Steve McNulty nearly comically turned Tyler Walker’s fizzing cross into his own net.

The game stagnated after the restart as both sides cancelled each other out.

Khan continued to be the main hive of activity and frustratingly was denied by Davies again.

Both sides threw the kitchen sink to try and steal the points late on.

Olejnik repaid the faith shown in him by Flitcroft with a great fingertip save to keep Emmanuel Monthe out with just 10 minutes left.

And immediately down the other end Walker fired wide with on-rushing keeper Davies doing well to narrow the angle.

Right at the death Krystian Pearce was denied by some last-ditch defending on the line.

Olejnik was up to the task once again with a stoppage-time save to deny Norwood.

TRANMERE: Davies, Caprice, McNulty, Ellis, Monthe, Smith (Mottley-Henry, 70), Banks, McCullough, Jennings, Stockton, Norwood. Unused subs: George, Cole, Spellman, Gilmour, Tollitt, Mullin.

STAGS: Olejnik, White, Pearce, Sweeney, Benning (Atkinson, 59), Bishop, MacDonald, Hamilton, Davies (Butcher, 78), Khan (Rose, 78), Walker. Unused subs: Logan, Gibbens, Mellis, Sterling-James.

REFEREE: Thomas Bramall.

ATTENDANCE: 5,466.