Mansfield Town's winning streak ends with draw at Walsall

Substitute Ollie Clarke’s 31st-minute equaliser cancelled out Lincoln loanee Max Melbourne’s debut goal on a bitterly cold evening at the Bescot Stadium.

Despite failing to extend their winning streak, Nigel Clough's side are now unbeaten in seven league games.

Clough opted for an unchanged side from the 1-0 win against Southend, whilst Darrell Clarke made two changes to his starting line-up, bringing in Melbourne and Caolan Lavery for the departed Zak Jules and Elijah Adebayo.

Jamie Reid went closest for the visitors in a quiet first quarter of an hour.

But Melbourne broke the deadlock with his first league goal in the 23rd minute as he linked with fellow loanee Tyreik Wright to stab home the latter's pin-point ball.

Substitue Clarke restored parity for the Stags after coming on for the injured George Lapslie.

A quick one-two between Reid and Jordan Bowery set the latter clear, and he unselfishly squared across the face of goal for Clarke to fire the visitors level.

The Stags started to show their quality and they searched for a second before the break.

And potent Clarke was in the thick of the action once again when he latched onto Liam Roberts’ poor clearance but Kellan Gordon blasted well over the bar.

It was Bowery who went closest before the break as his sweetly-struck half-volley forced Roberts into a super acrobatic save.

Despite having the line-share of possession in the second half and introducing Oliver Sarkic from the bench for his debut, Mansfield couldn’t create the openings to extend their winning run in the Black Country.

Harry Charsley was kept out by Roberts minutes into the second period after Reid's flick on.

But Wright’s free-kicks persisted to be a problem for the Stags’ back line with Caolan Lavery nodding wide of the mark for the hosts.

The Stags squandered a great late chance to clinch all three points as Bowery was denied by Roberts before Charsley struck the rebound wide.

Walsall: Roberts, White, Scarr, Sadler, Melbourne, Wright (Nolan 63), Bates (Vincent 77), Kinsella McDonald, Gordon, Lavery (Osei Yaw 77).

Subs not used: Rose, Norman, Cockerill-Mollett, Osadebe.

Mansfield: Stone, Gordon, Sweeney, Rawson, McLaughlin, Quinn (Sarkic 72), Maris, Lapslie (Clarke 12), Charsley, Bowery, Reid.

Subs not used: Stech, Benning, Perch, Sinclair, Law.

Referee: Alan Young