Mansfield's steady improvement continued as they secured a valuable point against pre-match league leaders Scunthorpe United.
Despite falling behind the Stags did not allow it to upset their rhythm and they gradually improved to control a major part of the game.
Both sides lacked real strength in attack but Lee Ridley and Andy Butler excelled in the Iron defence while the rangy David Artell and Scott McNiven gave little away for Mansfield.
The Stags found themselves in arrears inside the opening 75 seconds. A quick break down the right saw Nathan Stanton and Paul Hayes involved in the build-up which resulted in the ball falling to former Mansfield man Ian Baraclough who cracked a superb shot past Kevin Pilkington.
Little was seen of Scunthorpe's attack after the goal and it was the visitors who began to dictate matters with Wayne Corden creating a move on the left which allowed Tom Curtis to get in a shot which was off target.
Home keeper Paul Musselwhite and central defender Butler then joined forces to block Colin Larkin who was in full flight.
Peter Beagrie opened up the Stags defence and found Hayes who beat two men before firing over the top.
The visitors were unfortunate not to grab an equaliser when Adam Murray's terrific 35-yard angled shot hit the top of the crossbar and flew into the crowd.
Striker Hayes proved a solid defender for the Iron when he headed a corner from Alex Neil off the line and then Musselwhite saved well from Murray as Mansfield continued to impress.
Scunthorpe's keeper was again in the action as he flicked a McNiven effort away when Derek Asamoah opened up the home defence.
Pilkington, who had seen little action, was called upon to save well when Hayes' back-header looked goalbound.
However, the Stags' efforts finally found their reward in the 71st minute when Neil's corner found the foot of David Artell who crashed in a deserved equaliser.
Scunthorpe might have grabbed a late winner when substitute Cleveland Taylor and Michael Rankine went close, but it would have been tough on a resilient and workmanlike Mansfield side.