Ten-man Mansfield somehow left south London empty handed as a last-gasp goal from substitute Ronan Curtis gave Wimbledon victory in a controversial encounter at The Cherry Reds Record Stadium.
Stags looked like they’d fought back to earn a valuable point - or even more - after Will Swan’s 62nd minute leveller.
And in stoppage time substitute Davis Keillor-Dunn was held and obstructed inside the box but the referee waved play on to deny Stags a penalty
And in the dying moments, Curtis found the net from seven yards to give Wimbledon victory.
Stags had it all to do as Jordan Bowery was given a straight red card for denying a goalscoring opportunity on 20 minutes and Omar Bugiel’s opener in first-half stoppage time made the task look even greater.
But Nigel Clough’s men rallied and Swan powered home on 62 minutes with a fine strike to beat home goalkeeper Alex Bass at his near post, but ultimately it wasn’t enough.
Two changes were made from the midweek 1-1 draw at home to Sutton as Ollie Clarke replaced Aaron Lewis in midfield and Will Swan was given the nod over Davis Keillor-Dunn in attack.
Jordan Bowery started the match at right-back, with Baily Cargill on the corresponding flank. Leicester City loanee Lewis Brunt partnered captain Aden Flint in the middle of defence.
Inside the opening ten minutes, Brunt was unmarked on the right of the box but his effort was comfortably claimed by Dons’ goalkeeper Alex Bass, while at the other end Mansfield shot-stopper Christy Pym did well to narrow the angle and do enough to put off the advancing Armani Little who had been fed by John-Kymani Gordon on the edge of the box.
Wimbledon embarked on a second attack and Omar Bugiel advanced from halfway before firing low into the gloves of Pym from 25 yards.
In a bolt from the blue, Stags were reduced to ten men after 20 minutes as Jordan Bowery was shown a straight red card.
Wimbledon sent a ball upfield and Bowery was the last man – midway inside the Stags’ half – as he brought down Josh Davison.
Cargill was then the hero for Mansfield as he rose to flick behind James Tilley’s strike which looked destined for the top corner.
As the contest approached the half-hour mark, skipper Aden Flint appeared to hurt a shoulder and was replaced by Stephen McLaughlin.
On 37 minutes, Clarke skied an effort from 20 yards.
As the half approached stoppage time, Louis Reed was the first player to be booked as he took down Tilley when Wimbledon looked to break.
The Dons then took the upper hand in the second minute of time added on. Wimbledon worked it from the edge of the Stags’ box and into the area and as Mansfield were unable to make an intervention, Bugiel lashed home from 17 yards.
It was Bugiel’s last meaningful act as he was replaced at half-time by Harry Pell.
Reeves fired a 25-yard hit well over for the Dons on 55, and three minutes later Brunt went into the book for a challenge on Gordon.
As the game ticked past the hour, Stags levelled with their first real chance of the second-half.
Swan collected near the box to lay off to Quinn and after his cross wasn’t properly cleared, the forward pounced to weave his way further to goal before brilliantly striking beyond Bass at his near post.
Stags’ tails were up and Clarke was brought down near the centre circle as Mansfield looked to ignite another attack, with Little stopping its advancement to receive a yellow card.
Mansfield made a double change on 71 minutes as Clarke and Swan made way for Aaron Lewis and Davis Keillor-Dunn.
Substitute Aron Susu was next to see a yellow card for a mis-timed challenge on Stephen McLaughlin and Quinn met the same fate for a tackle on Isaac Ogundere after 82 minutes.
Stags made a double change two minutes later as Hiram Boateng entered the field for Quinn and John-Joe O’Toole replaced George Maris.
Keillor-Dunn then sent the Dons’ defence into a merry dance, twisting once way and then the other before his pull-back towards the goal area was turned behind for a corner.
The forward attempted to surge forward from halfway on 86 minutes, but was stopped in his tracks by Joe Lewis, who was brandished a yellow card.
Wimbledon began to apply pressure in the closing minutes but there was late drama in stoppage time when Stags were denied a blatant penalty at the other end.
Keillor-Dunn was pulled down inside the box but the referee waved away the appeals.
The official then came across to the Stags’ substitutes bench and showed a second yellow card to Stephen Quinn for remonstrating.
In the final minute, O’Toole narrowly headed over from a Keillor-Dunn corner.
Then in the dying seconds, Curtis poked home from six yards after a cut back from the goalline to steal the points for Wimbledon.
Boateng and Keillor-Dunn were both shown yellow cards in the final seconds before the referee blew for full-time.
AFC WIMBLEDON: Bass, Brown, Reeves, Tilley (McLean 87), Davison (Sasu 68), Little, Bugiel (Pell HT), Currie, Lewis, Ogundere, Gordon (Curtis 68)
UNUSED SUBS: Tzanev, Ball, Sutcliffe
STAGS: Pym, Brunt, Flint (McLaughlin 30), Cargill, Bowery, Reed, Clarke (Lewis 71), Quinn (Boateng 84), Maris (O’Toole 84), Swan (Keillor-Dunn 71), Akins
UNUSED SUBS: Flinders, Cooper
REFEREE: Will Finnie
ATTENDANCE: 8,114 (990 Stags’ fans)
