Mansfield Town 1 Doncaster Rovers 1: Grant McCann's faith repaid as Rovers hit back to dull Stags momentum

Doncaster had lost three straight coming into the game, but manager Grant McCann said there was no need for panic and so it proved as they hit back to earn a point.

McCann said: “I thought that was a good performance and a good point on the road.

“We had asked the players to be a bit braver and take more risks which we did today. We were much more in control.

“Mansfield changed their shape three times which was credit to us in how we played.

“We had some good opportunities before and after we conceded.

“Mansfield should have had a penalty too as Johnson was brought down and I think the referee was chasing the game a bit from there.

“We knew we had that performance in us.

“We played a diamond as we thought it was the best shape to play against Mansfield. We’ve watched them and they are a good team, very efficient, they work hard, they have got good players and they are dangerous.

“It has taken Nigel Clough three or four years to build this group he’s got and they will probably go on and achieve promotion.”

Mansfield dominated the opening stages and were rewarded with the opener on 21 minutes. Stephen Quinn floated over a great cross from the left and Callum Johnson buried it with a powerful diving header.

Davis Keillor-Dunn was inches wide two minutes later but Rovers began to grow into the game and Luke Molyneux cut in from the right on 25 minutes and forced Christy Pym to save on his near post.

Harrison Biggins should have done better just after when he planted a header over from six yards from Tommy Rowe’s left-wing cross.

And on 33 minutes Jamie Sterry’s powerful shot came off a home defender and hit the far post.

Seconds after the restart Biggins almost caught Stags cold as he curled narrowly wide from 20 yards.

But on 59 minutes Jack Senior set up Joe Ironside and, after Aden Flint blocked his first shot, he curled home a great follow-up to enable the visitors to frustrate and hold on for a point.

Wrexham’s loss at Walsall meant the Stags still edged up into second place.