Mansfield Town boss Adam Murray was full of praise for his players and the fans after the Stags held promotion rivals Portsmouth 1-1 at One Call Stadium on Saturday.

The Stags, beaten 1-0 in their three previous matches, are now seven points off the play-off positions.

Keeper Scott Shearer repeated his penalty heroics from the win over Morecambe in February to keep the Stags in contention with a 21st minute save, turning away Marc McNulty’s spot kick after the striker was tripped by Daniel Alfei.

Five minutes later debutant Mani Deiseruvwe flicked on for Matt Green to race clear, check back and fire in his 12th goal of the season.

It was the Stags’ first goal for more than 300 minutes, but hopes of only a second win seven matches were dashed by an lucky own goal.

Ryan Tafazolli was unable to stop a corner hitting his midrift and rolling into the net just before half-time.

The Stags recovered from a slow start to the second-half to again create chances and Mitchell Rose was unlucky to see his long-range striker turned away for a corner. From the resulting flag kick Green’s header was saved. Tafazolli also went close from another corner.

Murray said: “We had to end the run of defeats and to do it against a team and a club like that takes extra effort.

“That performance has put us back on track. People will look at the league and say you’ve dropped a couple of places or you’re this many points off.

“But this isn’t over. We’ve got 27 points to play for yet and trust me when I say there are going to be some swings and roundabouts still and we are going to be right in it.

“It was a tough game against a very, very good side. But I thought we more than matched them.

“A point was about right. They’ve had chances, we’ve had chances.”

“It was a tough game against a very, very good side. But I thought we more than matched them.

“Of course at times they are going to put you under pressure and they have got excellent players.

“I thought the boys were superb today coming off the back of three defeats. It makes it harder to keep believing when you have had three defeats.

“But the lads could not have given any more today. Every ounce they had it them they gave.

“A point was about right. They’ve had chances, we’ve had chances.

“We couldn’t do anything about the goal. It’s hit Taff on the so-and-so’s and gone in. He is devastated, but you have to take them on the chin.

“We had to end the run of defeats, that was important, so to do that against a team and a club like that takes extra effort.

“The fans were superb today. They kept pushing us on, even in the last minute, and at times I felt like a fan today.

“Mani Dieseruvwe was excellent, considering he hasn’t had much first team game time recently.

“To go straight into the first team tempo is hard, and for him to put himself about like he did, he made a difference.

“When it went forward at times it stuck. He made some good decisions, he helped Matt Green out.

“He meant Greeny didn’t have to think. He’s an instinctive player that needs to play without a lot on his head.

“I thought Lee Collins was excellent in there again. He makes us solid in the middle and allows the players around him to be freer.

“Mitch Rose was also superb today.”