Mansfield Town fought back for a well-deserved point, despite suffering yet another injury blow.

The loss of defender to a Martin Riley to a back spasm before kick-off left manager Paul Cox with nine players injured and almost forced into switching his formation to 4-4-2 from 5-3-2.

However, after a frustrating first half, which saw the Stags throw away a promising start by gifting the home side a goal, another change in formation at half-time led to a much-improved second half showing.

A 4-3-3 line-up gave loan strikers Daniel Carr and Vadeine Oliver the chance to shine on their full debuts. The Stags more than matched the home side after the break and both new strikers, together with Rakeesh Bingham and Rob Taylor, might have scored either side of Carr’s leveller.

Carr scored from close range after Oliver headed captain Adam Murray’s cross back across goal following a good break down the left in the 62nd minute.

That cancelled out De Girolamo’s 20th minute breakthrough after a mistake by Stags keeper Sascha Studer, whose poor clearance led to the attack.

However, the young keeper redeemed himself with two fine saves in the second half to earn Mansfield’s fourth successive draw.