Winless run extended as frustrated Mansfield Town are held by AFC Wimbledon
Mansfield Town twice led but were denied a first win in eight games as battling AFC Wimbledon hit back to earn a 2-2 draw at the One Call Stadium this afternoon.
Stags were in desperate need of ending this winless run and twice Jon Russell put them ahead in a dominant first half with his first two goals for the club and they led 2-1 at the break, Dons having punished a home error when James Tilley levelled Mansfield's early opener.
Matty Stevens then scored a second half penalty to square matters again.
An end to end thriler developed with chances at both ends and Stags denied a last gasp penalty shout, but no one could find a winner.
Stags made four changes with Aaron Lewis, Nathan Moriah-Welsh, Rhys Oates and Will Evans replaced by Jon Russell, Regan Hendry, Tyler Roberts and Victor Adeboyejo.
A huge downpour an hour from kick off on top of a lot of rain over the last few days had the officials keeping a close eye on the sodden surface.
But it eased off and the game was able to start.
A positive start from the home side paid dividends with a goal after seven minutes.
Adeboyejo delightfully turned Dons skipper Johnson and crossed hard and low from the right and Russell was on hand to turn the ball home from 10 yards.
The Dons could barely get a kick, but they were gifted a way back into it on 14 minutes.
Blake-Tracy's pass down the right to Hendry was short and Maycock nipped in to intercept and fed Tilley, who ran on, played a little one-two with Brown and buried a low shot from the edge of the box off the inside of the near post to level.
Akins should have restored the home lead on 25 minutes when picked out unmarked by an Oshilaja cross from the left. But from five yards out with the goal at his mercy he somehow headed over.
However, Stags were back ahead four minutes later as Russell collected his second goal of the game.
It was a sublime move as Tyler Roberts curled the perfect through ball down the centre of the pitch and Russell glided onto it before tucking a pinpoint low finish inside the right hand post from just inside the box.
On 43 minutes the Dons enjoyed a rare break and Seddon forced a low save from Roberts only to see an offside flag raised anyway.
Four minutes into the second half a push on Akins went unpunished and the Dons played on with Tilley crossing low from the right and Hippolyte shooting into the sidenetting at the far post from a tight angle.
On 53 minutes Brown flicked a header just over from Seddon's cross as the visitors pressed for an equaliser.
Akins' loose pass put his side in trouble on 54 minutes and McLaughlin had to take a booking for the team as Brown tried to break.
But Wimbedon were level on 58 minutes from the penalty spot.
Oshilaja's barge on Brown sent him to the turf and up stepped Stevens to send Roberts the wrong way.
Oates and Evans took over from Adeboyejo and Tyler Roberts for the home side.
Smith then fired inches wide as the home side wobbled and Nigel Clough responded by replacing Hendry and Russell with Aaron Lewis and Abbott.
Brown shot into the sidenetting as the visitors smelled blood while Smith was inches wide with a shot across goal.
A superb ball from Reed let Oates loose on the right on 68 minutes and he ran into the box on the right. But, with Evans free at the far post, Oates sent a low shot wide of the back stick and just too hard for Evans to turn home.
A minute late Reed's pass picked out Oates and he controlled before forcing Bishop to block his shot.
A minute later Lewis had a shot blocked and Evans, on the turn, saw his follow-up saved.
Akins made a saving block on a Brown shot on 74 minutes after McLaughlin had missed his kick to cut out a low cross. It was his last action as McLaughlin was replaced by Hewitt.
Abbott scuffed a shot straight at Bishop after more good home pressure.
A Dons break then saw Knoyle make a great block at the far post to stop Brown squeezing a finish home.
Brown next tried his luck from 25 yards but lacked the power to trouble Roberts while at the the other end Oates got away again and Ogundere made a brilliant block.
From an 87th minute corner by Lewis, Hewitt glanced a header across goal and just wide.
Bishop was behind a low Lewis shot from the nex home raid.
In the fourth of five added mintes Bugiel was booked for a foul on Akins.
A minute later Evans saw his shot on turn seem to be blocked by Johnson's hand.
The home side screamed for a penalty but the referee disagreed and the game ended all square.
STAGS: Roberts, Knoyle, Oshilaja, Blake-Tracy, Akins, Russell (Abbott 63), Reed, McLaughlin (Hewitt 75), Hendry (A. Lewis 63), T. Roberts (Evans 57), Adeboyejo (Oates 57). SUBS NOT USED: Moriah-Welsh, Irow.
DONS: Bishop, Seddon, Johnson, Tilley, Maycock, Browne, Smith, Stevens (Bugiel 83), Bauer (Nkeng 88), Hippolyte (Nelson 83), Ogundere. SUBS NOT USED: McDonnell, Asiimwe, Reeves, Hackford. REFEREE: Seb Stockbridge.
ATTENDANCE: 7,693 (436 away).