The Stags again allowed a home lead slip as they had to settle fort a Boxing Day point.

Mansfield made just one change from the 1-0 win at Wimbledon, Reggie Lambe replacing the suspended Rob Taylor who was red-carded in the victory.

Lambe played a vital role in the 10th minute breakthrough. Junior Brown cut inside from the touchline, exchanged passes with Lambe on the edge of the area and skipped past more defenders before rolling his finish past the advancing keeper.

However, the Stags failed to capitalise and were pegged back by a deflected Duckworth shot 10 minutes into the second half. A couple of minutes later Matt Rhead appeared to have restored the home side’s lead when his finish from a corner looked to have been helped over the line by the keeper, but the referee and linesman refused to give a goal.

Three sendings off then marred a delicately poised match.

Ryan Tafazolli went for his second bookable offence on 72 minutes, followed in the last few seconds by Hartlepool’s Marlon Harewood, a straight red, and Michael Woods, a second yellow.