Paul Stephen reports
The teams had to settle for a point each tonight in a game lacking in clear cut chances.
In an evenly fought contest, a draw looked like a fair result as both sides cancelled each other out and Stags kept their first clean sheet in 11 games.
It was a game where securing all three points were vital in order to keep our promotion dreams alive and so David Holdsworth named a more attacking formation, reverting from the 4-3-3 he employed at Hayes & Yeading on Saturday to 4-4-2. He made three changes in personnel by recalling centre-half Luke Jones, who had served a two match suspension, in place of Scott Garner and handing starts to wingers Louis Briscoe and Ryan Williams who replaced Kyle Nix and Kyle Perry.
Left back Andy Nicholas was given a particularly warm welcome by the Stags faithful on what was his home debut.
Luton also lined up 4-4-2, but, were without their influential skipper Kevin Nicholls who picked up a knee injury in their 2-1 defeat to Crawley at the weekend. The bookies pre-season title favourites came to us on the back of two league defeats prompting manager Richard Money to drop top-scorer Tom Craddock and veteran forward Kevin Gallen in favour of loanee striker Liam Hatch and Matthew Barnes-Homer.
The Stags kicked off towards a North Stand containing a healthy away following and made an early impression when Briscoe's right wing cross had to be cleared by Janos Kovacs in only the second minute.
On four minutes, Briscoe found Williams in space on the left who then sent an in-swinging cross deep into the Luton area. Although it was flicked behind for what appeared to be a corner, the referee adjudged Rob Duffy to have fouled George Pilkington as he rose to meet Williams' cross and awarded a free kick.
Luton carved out their first opportunity just before the 10 minute mark when a long throw into the box from Adam Newton was cleared only as far as Fred Murray. Thankfully Murray was well off target with his low shot from 25 yards out and it rolled harmlessly wide of Marriott's right hand post.
In a period of sustained pressure from the home side, Williams had a shot blocked on the quarter hour mark before a huge throw in from Andy Nicholas was flicked onto Rob Duffy standing eight yards out. But, despite being under very little pressure, he could only send his header into the arms of a grateful Tyler in the visitors' goal.
In a high-tempo opening 30 minutes, it was the Stags who had the greater number of the chances to open the scoring and came close once more when Briscoe unleashed a shot from the right channel and 25 yards out. Close was all it was though as his shot whistled past the wrong side of the post and out for a goal kick.
Then, in a bizarre turn of events, Liam Hatch appeared to play the ball out for a Mansfield throw in the 28th minute but strangely, it was awarded to the away side instead. The throw from the right hand side found its way to Asa Hall whose powerful shot from the edge of the box was deflected behind for a corner by Luke Jones. Worryingly, the centre half dropped to the floor clutching his leg following his impact with the ball and had to be stretchered from the pitch. Michael Brough was promptly sent on to replace the injured Jones who is suspected to have suffered ligament damage from a tackle earlier in the half.
The corner was taken after this short delay but was headed wide by Asa Hall.
Luton thought they had taken the lead in the closing stages of the half when a left wing cross from Barnes-Homer found Jake Howells well behind the Stags back four and with no-one to beat but Marriott. Howells made no mistake in hooking his shot into the back of the net but had his celebrations cut short by the linesman's flag as he had in fact fallen foul of the Stags' rigid offside trap.
Three minutes added time were played out before the Stags had time to regroup and have another go at breaking down the Hatter's resilient back line.
It was Luton, however, that emerged from their half time team talk with more purpose and came perilously close to deflating the home side with a goal from a free kick conceded by Andy Nicholas in the 48th minute on the right hand side of the area. Howells floated the ball in towards the six yard box where it found the head Asa Hall who rose completely unopposed to nod it inches wide of the left hand post.
The Stags tried to make an immediate response and another huge throw from Nicholas down the left flank was desperately headed behind for a corner. Brough connected with Williams' cross but headed it over from five yards out.
Mansfield were awarded a free kick 30 yards out and directly in front of goal moments later following Kovac's clumsy tackle on Rob Duffy. The Luton player earned a yellow card for his transgression before Mills took the subsequent free kick and which Tyler did well to dive to his left and smother.
Frustrated with the lack of inroads his strikeforce were making against a sturdy back four, Richard Money replaced Barnes Homer with Mark Nwokeji with half an hour to go.
Briscoe got on the end of a loose ball in the area but blazed over in the 66th minute before the Stags were awarded another free kick for a foul by Pilkington on Duffy. Silk took the kick from the half way line and pumped it into the area where it was mopped up by and whisked away by a White shirt.
David Holdsworth held on until the 76th minute to make his first unenforced substitution of the night when he sent on Kyle Perry for Jon Shaw. Richard Money responded with a second substitution of his own and withdrew Claude Gnapka for top-scorer Tom Craddock as both managers looked to break the deadlock and stake a claim on the points.
Craddock didn't have to wait long to get a slice of the action as he advanced into the area at speed and with the ball at his feet with seven minutes remaining. He pulled the trigger from 15 yards out prompting Brough to throw himself in front of the ball and block it before hacking it away to safety.
Adam Newton received one of the night's few bookings in the 87th minute for hauling down Briscoe midway in Luton's half as he looked to run at the Hatter's defence. The free kick bounced around in Luton's box before falling to Rob Duffy who tried his luck with a spectacular overhead kick. The ball sailed narrowly over the bar but the referee had already blown for a foul on Liam Hatch by Kyle Perry.
There was still time for one last push from Mansfield as they flooded the area to get on the end of a Mills free kick. It was to no avail, however, as it was too high and went behind for a goal kick.
Four minutes added time were played out before the Stags could leave the pitch with their heads held high after holding one of the division's most fancied sides at bay and securing a hard-earned point in our bid to regain a spot in the top five.
Sponsors' man of the match: Louis Briscoe
Attendance: 3, 407 (474 away)
Team: Marriott, Jones (Brough 35'), Silk, Foster, Nicholas, Williams, Challinor, Mills, Briscoe, Duffy, Shaw (Perry 76').
