ANTONI SARCEVIC’S fourth goal of the season earned Bolton Wanderers a 90th minute equaliser at the University of Bolton Stadium.
The Wanderers skipper got on the end of an Ali Crawford pass to send his side home with a point after George Lapslie headed the visitors in front.
Ian Evatt made two changes from the side that lost at Leyton Orient at the weekend with Ronan Darcy and Tom White coming into the starting XI at the expense of Andrew Tutte and Arthur Gnahoua who both dropped to the bench.
Ali Crawford shot just wide of the Mansfield goal in the early stages after Peter Kioso won back possession and instigated some smart passes before the ball fell to the Scot.
An incisve through ball from Ricardo Almeida Santos found Nathan Delfounseso who sparked a Wanderers attack. The ball fell once again to Crawford whose first-time shot went narrowly over the bar.
A rare break into the Wanderers box by Mansfield ended when Sarcevic cleared for a corner.
Billy Crellin made a vital save off Nicky Maynard shortly afterwards when his punch clear from Stephen McLaughlin’s corner lacked enough power to avert the danger.
A smart one-two between Sarcevic and Delfouneso ended with the Wanderers skipper forcing out a fine save from Marek Stech.
Evatt was forced into making his first change of the evening after 29 minutes when Harry Brockbank limped off. Liam Gordon came on in his place at left wing-back.
Crellin made himself big to block Jordan Bowery’s shot after Maynard’s early cross from the right hand side played the Stags’ front man.
A surging run out of defence by Almeida Santos ended when he was felled at the opposite end of the pitch. The free-kick by Crawford, from 30 yards out, was well struck but flew over Stech’s cross bar.
Kellan Gordon was allowed to run and get a shot on goal but his effort was way off target.
The visitors started off the brighter of the two in the second period and George Maris was unlucky not to round off a great passing move when his shot went narrowly wide. It was a big left off for Wanderers who had allowed their opponents too much of the ball since the restart.
Mal Benning was the next to try his luck and after coming forward from left-back, he arrowed a shot from distance which took a deflection and went narrowly wide. Wanderers were struggling to get into the game.
From the resulting corner, George Lapslie ran to the near post to glance in the opener.
Arthur Gnahoua came on for Ronan Darcy after 57 minutes as Evatt made another change.
A whipped in free-kick from Crawford was cleared for a corner as Wanderers battled to get an equaliser.
Evatt made his final switch of the evening with Shaun Miller coming on for Delfouneso with twenty minutes of the contest remaining.
The substitute’s first touch won Wanderers a corner which was eventually cleared; making his return from injury, he put in a hard-working display.
Wanderers left it late to get a share of the spoils thanks to their hard working captain Sarcevic who turned a shot past Stech in the Town goal in the final minute of the ninety.
Teams:
Bolton Wanderers: Crellin, Baptiste, Kioso, Almeida Santos, Delaney, Brockbank (Gordon 29), Sarcevic, White, Crawford, Darcy (Gnahoua 57), Delfouneso (Miller 70).
Subs Not Used: Hickman, Tutte, Miller, Isgrove, Greenidge.
Mansfield Town: Stech, Gordon, Rawson, Perch, Benning (O’Keefe 71), Maris (O’Driscoll 86), Lapslie, Charsley, McLaughlin, Bower, Maynard (Reid 76)
Subs Not Used: Stone (GK), Menayese, Cook, Sinclair
Goals: Lapslie (57), Sarcevic (90)