Sweeney strikes as battling Mansfield Town fight for hard-earned point at Plymouth Argyle

It was a bittersweet first half for Stags skipper Ryan Sweeney as his error led to Aribim Pepple's opener for the Pilgrims on 20 minutes only to level the scores and atone for his mistake on 41 minutes.

Stags could have been dead and buried by that point as they struggled in a one-sided first half dominated by the Devonian side with Liam Roberts pulling off two crucial saves as the home side launched wave after wave of attack.

Stags were much improved in a second half of few chances with Roberts making another important save from a long range effort.

Stags had lost 11 of their last 12 visitors to Plymouth and the home side were on a six game unbeaten run, having won their last four.

But Stags are now seven unbeaten too and deserved their hard-earned point on a night of awful weather with wind and driving rain making for tough playing conditions and even tougher travelling conditions for over 500 hardy Mansfield fans.

It was a physical game well refereed by Will Finnie, who tried to let the game flow.

Boss Nigel Clough made three changes to the side that drew with Stevenage on Saturday.

Frazer Blake-Tracy, Regan Hendry and Luke Bolton started in place of Louis Reed (suspended), Jon Russell and Will Evans as Stags went with three at the back.

Baily Cargill was making his 100th appearance for the Stags.

The Pilgrims also made three changes.

Both top scorer Lorent Tolaj and regular keeper Conor Hazard missed out after failing late fitness tests.

As a result, goalkeeper Zak Baker was recalled from his loan spell at Plymouth Parkway and named on the bench with Luca Ashby-Hammond taking over in goal.

Argyle were the first to threaten on five minutes as Pepple's shot from 18 yards clipped a defender and looped over Roberts and onto the roof of the net for a corner.

The referee waved play on in the 16th minutesafter Argyle called for a foul against Irow, so Edwards steamed in with a foul on the youngster in retribution that earned him a booking.

But a mistake from Stags skipper Sweeney led to the opening goal for the home side.

Sweeney gave away a loose pass that was intercepted in the centre circle and Pepple took advantage, racing forward before drilling home a low finish inside the left post from almost 25 yards.

Pepple almost doubled the lead four minutes later when a right wing cross bounced past Sweeney and Oshilaja to an unmarked Pepple 10 yards out and his rising shot was superbly turned away by Roberts.

Edwards looped a header just over from the corner.

Pepple caused more chaos with a run into the box on the right and a ball to the near post where Watts flicked a first time shot over.

The pressure continued and the same pair pulled off the same combination on 31 minutes but the result was the same as the finish went wide of the near post.

Two minutes later Roberts made another sensational save as Sorinola crossed from the left and Watts, inexplicably completely unmarked, was allowed a diving header from eight yards which was bang on target, forcing Roberts to push away.

On 37 minutes Curtis ran into the right of the box and drilled a finish across the face of goal and just wide of the far post.

Stags' first attempt on goal came on 39 minutes. A loose pass from Wiredu gave the ball to Irow, who ran on and fired a powerful shot on target to force a first save of the night from Ashby-Hammond.

But this was better from Mansfield after being under the cosh for so long.

And they were level out of the blue on 41 minutes.

Hendry floated a teasing ball into the mixer from just outside the box and Sweeney was able to get a crucial touch from close range that sent the ball past the helpless keeper.

Stags made a double change at the break with Russell and Hewitt on for Bolton and Lewis.

Stags won a free kick on the restart for Edrwads' challenge on Akins, which saw the ball reach Blake-Tracy's shot deflect for a corner.

Stags then had penalty appeals for handball turned down as Russell tried get a cross over from the left.

Akins was struggling to continue and had to limp off on 50 minutes, replaced by Adeboyejo.

Stags went to four at the back with Oshilaja pushed into midfield.

It was a fine start to the second half from Stags, but Argyle slowly began to come back into it and a corner passed through everyone, needing just a touch in front of goal.

Sorinola was booked on 59 minutes for showing his studs in a lunging challenge on Adeboyejo.

Adeboyejo conceded a free kick almost 30 yards out on 64 minutes.

Amaechi touched the ball to Curtis who sent an awkward low swerving effort through a crowd of players and Roberts did well to get down and block at the last minute.

With 13 minutes to go a low Russell shot lacked power to worry Ashby-Hammond.

On 80 minutes Amaechi cut in from the right and let fly but it was straight at Roberts.

Oates went down a minute later and, taking no chances, Stags replaced him with Knoyle, himself just back from injury.

With five minutes left Stags broke well with Adeboyejo finding Moriah-Welsh to his right and then taking the return but unable to curl his finish round Ashby-Hammond.

Oshilaja's shove on Amaechi earned him Stags' first booking a minute later and in the first of three added minutes Blake-Tracy hauled down pepple to prevent an Argyle break and was also cautioned.

Plymouth threw everything at it near the end and in the final minute Roberts was behind a Wiredu shot from 20 yards to preserve a precious point.

PLYMOUTH: Ashby-Hammond, Ross, Wiredu, Edwards, Mitchell, Watts (Oseni 73), Boateng, Galloway, Pepple, Curtis, Sorinola (Amaechi 62). SUBS NOT USED: Baker, MacKenzie, Szucs, Paterson, Roberts.

STAGS: Roberts, Oshilaja, Sweeney, Cargill, Akins (Adeboyejo 50), Lewis (Russell HT), Hendry (Moriah-Welsh 74), Blake-Tracy, Bolton (Hewitt HT), Irow, Oates (Knoyle 81). SUBS NOT USED: Taylor, Dickov.

REFEREE: Will Finnie.