Nigel Clough’s Mansfield Town put on a stirring, second half performance, to snatch a point in a six-goal thriller away to Rotherham United on Friday afternoon, halting a run of three straight losses.

The early Easter blockbuster as the AESSEAL New York Stadium would see the visiting Stags take the lead inside the opening ten minutes when George Maris headed home a deflected effort from Louis Reed, glancing into Cameron Dawson’s bottom corner.

Rotherham were ahead at the break however, Mallik Wilks equalising less than ten minutes after the Stags’ opener, smashing home from outside the box and into Christy Pym’s top corner.

Wilks then had a hand in putting the hosts in front, combining well with Sam Nombe, who scored in the closing stages of the first half.

The Stags’ woes continued early in the second when, just after the hour mark, Wilks was at it again, this time with a solo effort on sixty-six minutes.

Then came the fight-back, the Stags digging deep to find two goals which kept their hopes of survival alive, substitutes Aden Flint and Jordan Bowery both netting.

A flurry for changes, in the space of fifteen minutes just after hour, from Clough, contributed to the come0back, Caylan Vickers replacing Dom Dwyer, Bowey coming on for Stephen McLaughlin, and Flint for Elliott Hewitt, among others.

Vickers played a part in both of the Stags’ goals, his chipped ball to the back post being knocked back by Baily Cargill for Flint to drill home on seventy-seven minutes, then, with the game ticking towards the end, was involved in the equaliser.

Lucas Akins supplied the cross which was headed on by Vickers, and poked home by Bowery with three minutes left; there was even time for a match-winner but Keanu Baccus fired wide after skipping through the home defence.

Mansfield go into their final four matches, five points above the last relegation place, currently filled by Bristol Rovers, the Stags having a game in hand of most of those around them.

Mansfield Town – Christy Pym, Deji Oshilaja, Alfie Kilgour, Baily Cargill, Elliott Hewitt (Aden Flint, 74), George Maris (Aaron Lewis, 63), Louis Reed, Matthew Craig (Keanu Baccus, 63), Stephen McLaughlin (Jordan Bowery, 70), Lucas Akins, Dom Dwyer (Caylan Vickers, 64)

Results around Clough’s side went in their favour as well, Northampton Town, were beaten 2-1 away to Charlton Athletic, both Burton Albion and Crawley Town were involved in goalless draws away to Exeter City and Birmingham City respectively, Bristol Rovers were held to a 1-1 draw at Wrexham, whilst Cambridge United snatched a last-gasp win, 2-1, away to Huddersfield Town.

*Article provided by Peter Mann (Senior Correspondent).

*Main image @mansfieldtownfc action during an entertaining 3-3 draw at Rotherham.