Mansfield Town twice came from behind to claim a point in an end-to-end encounter away to Doncaster Rovers.

Stags showed fine character to earn a draw, especially after suffering a quartet of injuries in an all-action contest in South Yorkshire.

Midfielders Louis Reed and George Maris were both on the scoresheet for the first time this season as a reshuffled Stags cancelled out goals from Tom Nixon and Joe Ironside.

Stags were unchanged from Saturday’s 3-0 victory at home to Morecambe.

Maris – whose partner gave birth to their first child at the weekend – started on the substitutes’ bench.

Forward Will Swan also found a place in the squad for the first time this season.

Doncaster made six changes to the line-up following their 4-0 loss at Newport.

After a tentative opening period, Stags began to dominate the ball and struck the woodwork after 12 minutes.

Midfielder Aaron Lewis slipped it forward for defender Aden Flint, whose well-weighted right-flank cross was headed against the post by fellow defender Alfie Kilgour from the edge of the six-yard box.

Stags were dealt a blow soon after when, after a five minute delay for treatment, Kilgour was stretchered off and replaced by Jordan Bowery.

In a bolt from the blue, Doncaster took the upper hand with a thunderous volley from 28 yards.

On 20 minutes, George Broadbent saw his shot blocked from outside the box and as it flew out to Tom Nixon, the 20-year-old flicked the ball up to his chest, before unleashing a rocket into the right-hand corner of the net.

Three minutes later, Stags were forced into another change as right-back Callum Johnson appeared to pull up with a hamstring problem and was replaced by Hiram Boateng.

The substitutions saw a reshuffle in defence, with Baily Cargill moving into the centre to partner Flint, Bowery at left-back and Lewis at right-back.

The goal seemed to inject confidence into Rovers and Stags had Pym to thank for not falling further behind on 25 minutes when the unmarked Tommy Rowe blasted a first-time effort from the left of the box, but Pym was equal to it with a fine stop.

At the other end, frontman Lucas Akins embarked on a mazy run, twisting and turning from the inside right before advancing into the box and driving a low effort at goal which shot-stopper Ian Lawlor did well to turn beyond his post.

The game opened up and Luke Molyneux tried his luck from the inside right with a venomous drive  which arrowed into Pym’s grasp after 32 minutes.

Stags were back on level terms ten minutes later thanks to real tenacity from Rhys Oates.

The forward darted to the dead ball line and after it looked like he may have been driven too wide, floated a wonderful hanging cross for Louis Reed to head home from close range at the back post.

Mansfield’s tails were up and Davis Keillor-Dunn was next to strike at goal from 20 yards, but Lawlor claimed comfortably.

In the eighth minute of stoppage time, Boateng curled a left-footed attempt from similar distance, with Lawlor again well behind it.

At the break, Stags made a third change as striker Will Swan made his first appearance of the season at the expense of Aaron Lewis.

On 49 minutes, Joe Ironside curled narrowly past the far post from the left of the box before Stags carved out a chance of their own six minutes later.

Akins, now at right-back, danced into the box and sent a superb floating cross for Keillor-Dunn, who was denied a headed effort by impressive aerial defending from Owen Bailey at the back post.

Stags were forced into another change after 57 minutes as Boateng came off for George Maris.

And Maris almost made an immediate impact just shy of the hour.

Oates’ low cross from the right was parried by Lawlor and as it fell to into Maris’ path, the midfielder’s blasted 10-yard effort was well-blocked by substitute Richard Wood.

Stags upped the ante in the final third and almost took the lead following an almighty scramble inside the goal area.

After a free-kick from the left, Cargill and Flint both attempted to prod the ball over the line inside a packed six-yard box, but somehow Doncaster kept it out.

Stags were asserting their authority on the game and Quinn was next to fire at goal after latching on to Reed’s forward pass, but the Irishman’s effort on the left of the box struck the side netting.

Doncaster restored their advantage against the run of play on 76 minutes.

Stags failed to clear their lines and Tommy Rowe was allowed to power an effort at goal, which Pym pushed aside. But quickest to react was Joe Ironside, who slammed into the net from seven yards.

Mansfield looked to hit back instantly as Quinn headed over from close range after Oates delivered from the right.

Never-say-die Stags were back level on 80 minutes as Maris found the net with a brilliant low hit into the bottom corner.

Quinn controlled well to find his fellow midfielder on the edge of the box, who did the rest with an accomplished finish into the left of the goal.

Oates then came close moments later with a low hit which flashed inches wide of the post.

Quinn made way for Ollie Clarke on 88 minutes in Stags’ final change.

In time added on, Akins again sent the Rovers’ defence into a merry dance before slamming a shot into the side netting with the aid of a deflection.

And after five minutes of stoppage time, the referee sounded the final whistle to close a pulsating affair.

DONCASTER: Lawlor, Anderson (Wood 41), Olowu, Molyneux (Roberts 75), Broadbent, Howe, Nixon, Bailey, Ironside (Sotona 88), Senior, Westbrooke (Faal 69)

UNUSED SUBS: Jones, Maxwell, Straughan-Brown

STAGS: Pym, Johnson (Boateng 23; Maris 57), Kilgour (Bowery 17), Flint, Cargill, Reed, Lewis (Swan HT), Quinn (Clarke 88) , Keillor-Dunn, Oates, Akins

UNUSED SUBS: Flinders, Cooper

REFEREE: Lewis Smith

ATTENDANCE: 7,793 (2,200 Stags’ fans)