Mansfield Town 2 Carlisle United 2: Carlisle United came from behind to snatch a dramatic late point at Mansfield.

Joshua Kayode grabbed an equaliser in the third minute of added time in front of the travelling United fans.

The loan striker headed home his second goal in successive games as Mansfield failed to deal with an Elliot Watt free-kick at close range.

That came after Watt had given United an unlikely route back into the game when his cross from the left sailed over Stags keeper Bobby Olejnik.

The fightback, after Nicky Maynard's earlier double in the second half, extended the Blues' unbeaten run to four games.

It also saw Chris Beech's side go 11 points clear of the relegation place.

Nathan Thomas and Nick Anderton had Carlisle's best efforts in a scrappy goalless first half.

Thomas tested home keeper Olejnik with a 30-yard free-kick in the 19th minute.

And left-back Anderton forced a scrambling save from the Mansfield keeper 10 minutes before the break.

There were few clear-cut chances in a half played in a strong wind.

Unchanged United saw Mike Jones and Thomas have early efforts blocked, while the Stags suffered an early injury blow when midfielder Alex MacDonald went off injured in the 21st minute, replaced by Will Tomlinson.

For Graham Coughlan's side, the offside flag denied Maynard when he ran onto a Rose through-ball, and later Ryan Sweeney met a Mal Benning free-kick, Adam Collin saving comfortably.

United then ended the half on top and Byron Webster felt he should have had a penalty for handball when his header from a corner was blocked by home skipper Krystian Pearce.

A Bridge break, after good work from Alessandra, then saw a cross which resulted in Jones having a cross blocked.

Carlisle then went behind to a Maynard goal in the 57th minute.

The frontman opened the scoring when he shot low past Collin after Rose had been picked out by a long ball.

United were aggrieved with the officials, feeling they should have had a corner instead of the goal kick which saw Mansfield launch their goalscoring attack.

Beech responded with a double substitution, bringing on Callum Guy for his debut along with fit-again Harry McKirdy, with Lewis Alessandra and Jack Bridge replaced.

But Maynard then grabbed another on 72 minutes, when Harry Charsley laid the ball into his path and Maynard had room to pick his spot with another low finish.

It seemed a home win was now a formality but Watt caught Olejnik out with his cross nine minutes from time, scoring his first Football League goal in the process.

United then applied late pressure, Watt and Mike Jones having shots blocked, before McKirdy won a late free-kick on the right and Watt's delivery was dramatically turned home by Kayode in front of the 368 travelling Blues fans.

It was the Rotherham loanee's second goal in successive games.

There was no place in the squad, meanwhile, for deadline-day arrivals Marcus Dewhurst and Omari Patrick. Patrick was not registered in time to be available.

Both players travelled to the One Call Stadium, though, Patrick doing some running drills before the game and taking part in the warm-up, and Dewhurst working with fellow keepers Adam Collin and Louis Gray.

Ryan Loft was absent through illness.

Mansfield: Olejnik, Watts, Benning, Pearce, Sweeney, Bishop, MacDonald (Tomlinson 22), Charsley (Hamilton 77), Riley, Rose, Maynard (Preston 88). Not used: Stone, Davies, Clarke, Knowles.

United: Collin, G Jones, Anderton, Webster, Hayden, M Jones, Watt, Bridge (Guy 59), Thomas (Scougall 86), Alessandra (McKirdy 59), Kayode. Not used: Gray, Iredale, Charters, Hunt.

Ref: Jarred Gillett.

Crowd: 4,272 (368 Carlisle fans)