A first clean sheet of the season earned Mansfield an important point against Leyton Orient in East London.
Natural striker Oli Hawkins played in the centre of Stags’ defence to help seal out an in-form Orient side who sat in second place before the game.
Tyrese Sinclair was dismissed in the 85th minute.
Nigel Clough made one change to the side that ended a four game run of defeats by drawing with Rochdale last Saturday.
Former Leyton Orient striker Danny Johnson returned to the starting line-up having netted twice in his two previous substitute appearances.
Injured full-back Kellan Gordon made way for the returning striker, moving Elliott Hewitt to right back and Oli Hawkins to the centre of defence.
George Maris wrestled the ball off Craig Clay to play in Stephen McLaughlin inside the first minute. The Irishman’s long-range effort sailed beyond the top right corner as Mansfield looked to be positive from the off.
Theo Archibald’s skidded corner kick on 10 minutes split the Stags defence to find Omar Beckles in front of goal. Elliott Hewitt recovered well though to muscle the ball back and clear it from danger.
A free-kick inside Mansfield’s own half was nodded down inside the box by Farren Rawson seven minutes later. Bowery struggled to control the awkward knock-down before Rawson’s scrappy rebound effort was saved and held by Vigouroux.
Mansfield’s grip on the game loosened following the opening moments of the half. The Stags’ defence did well to limit the hosts to a number of half chances as Orient’s possession increased significantly leading up to the break.
The ball dropped to Aaron Drinan, who was unmarked at the back post five minutes before half time. The midfielder’s powered volley close to goal was blocked by McLaughlin, who threw his body into the ball’s path to prevent a sure goal.
Stags restarted the second period brightly with Rhys Oates racing into the Orient box. The forward struggled to find space to shoot inside the hosts’ crowded penalty area before the threat was cleared.
With Mansfield on the attack, Orient hit on the break. Craig Clay played a dinked through ball into Drinan’s path before the forward sliced his one on one opportunity wide of the right hand post.
Harry Charsley was introduced in the 54th minute as George Maris was forced off through injury following a collision. Hewitt’s foul on Drinan just outside the box earned him the first booking of the game.
Tom James’ subsequent free-kick was hit wildly over the crossbar to waste a dangerous opportunity for the hosts. Ollie Clarke found space to shoot from 25 yards on the hour mark, skidding the ball into the arms of Vigouroux.
Orient hit back straight away as Drinan linked up with Archibald. Arriving on the left side of the box, Archibald’s driven shot narrowly evaded the bottom right corner.
Two minutes later Drinan attacked Mansfield again. The winger’s grounded cross found James unmarked in the centre of the box but the defender’s poor finish was directed straight at Stags stopper Nathan Bishop.
A 72nd minute corner was cleared to Conor Wood, lurking outside the box, whose first time strike was dramatically blocked by Rawson before Charsley also put his body on the line to deny the rebound.
Substitute Ruel Sotiriou rolled the ball across Mansfield’s goal-mouth minutes later as Hewitt reacted well to clear the danger and keep Mansfield’s clean sheet intact.
Bishop’s strong wrists denied Archibald from 25-yards in the 82nd minute, who had struck powerfully.
Youngster Tyrese Sinclair was dismissed in the 85th minute following a coming together with an already downed man near the corner flag.
Rhys Oates and Alex Mitchell were booked in the aftermath to the incident.
Ogie’s long pass into the box was knocked down into Sotiriou who headed onto the outside of Mansfield’s post on the dive with a minute of normal time to play.
Nathan Bishop’s reaction save dramatically denied Archibald in the 95th minute. The young stopper palmed away the midfielder’s strike inside the box to earn his side a point at the death.
STAGS XI: Bishop (GK), Hewitt, Rawson, Hawkins, McLaughlin, Lapslie, Maris (Charsley 54’), O. Clarke (C), Oates (Burke 88’), Johnson (Sinclair 67’), Bowery.
UNUSED SUBS: Shelvey (GK), J. Clarke, Ward, Law.
LEYTON ORIENT XI: Vigouroux (GK), James, Wood, Clay (Kyprianou 56’), Smith, Archibald, Mitchell, Drinan (Sotiriou 73’), Pratley (C), Beckles, Ogie.
UNUSED SUBS: Byrne (GK), Happe, Kemp, Omotoye, Papadopoulos.
REFEREE: Benjamin Speedie
ASSISTANTS: Daniel Cook & Paul Yates
FOURTH OFFICIAL: Michael Chard
ATTENDANCE: 5,252 (347)
