Promoted Mansfield Town wrapped up their triumphant Sky Bet League Two campaign with a hard-fought point away to Barrow.
Midfielder George Maris skilfully opened the scoring on 17 minutes after converting Louis Reed’s excellent pass.
Kian Spence equalised for the hosts on 58 minutes in the 1-1 draw.
Nigel Clough made two changes to the side that beat Gillingham last weekend.
Stephen Quinn and Davis Keillor-Dunn replaced Aaron Lewis and James Gale. Defender Callum Johnson made a return to the Stags' bench following a hamstring injury.
The hosts began brightly as midfielder Elliott Newby let fly from range inside the opening two minutes.
The Barrow man’s effort though, deflected off the boot of full-back Lucas Akins for a corner.
Five minutes later, Barrow imposed their attacking threat again as centre-back James Chester steered a powered header narrowly over from a corner.
Stags soon settled and took a grip of possession before opening Barrow up for the first time on 14 minutes.
A well-picked Davis Keillor-Dunn ball played Tom Nichols in behind the defence, who chipped an effort over the onrushing Paul Farman which floated narrowly over the crossbar.
A minute later, the hosts were in again. Having broken quickly down the left, Newby delivered a dangerous cross into Mansfield’s six-yard box which was blasted over first time by Kian Spence from close range.
The game’s end-to-end nature continued as Stags took the lead through Maris on 16 minutes. A delicate Louis Reed dink into the box played his fellow midfielder in, who controlled the ball, changed direction and blasted past Farman.
Barrow went in search of an equaliser and almost found it on 19 minutes through Dom Telford. The heavily-involved forward let fly having been teed up on the edge of Mansfield’s box, only to see his powered effort zip narrowly wide of the bottom corner.
Following a lull in the game, the hosts came close again on 38 minutes. Dean Campbell’s ball into the box was flicked on to the back post by the head of Niall Canavan before George Ray’s close-range header lacked conviction, allowing Christy Pym to gather.
Nigel Clough opted for fresh legs in midfield at the break as Ollie Clarke replaced Hiram Boateng, who had previously been booked.
The newly-introduced Clarke felled Telford on the edge of Mansfield’s box to set up a dangerous free-kick on 49 minutes. Spence’s effort from 20-yards curled finely over the wall and forced Pym into a superb diving save to his right to keep the ball out.
However, Spence struck an equaliser for Barrow on 58 minutes.
A right-sided cross from Sam Foley picked out the attacker inside the Mansfield box, who struck it first time on the half-volley into the bottom left corner.
The hosts continued to keep Mansfield penned into their own half as they desperately searched for a play-off-clinching winner.
However, their best opportunity of the half came on 89 minutes when substitute forward Emile Acquah was sent through one-on-one with Pym, only to cue his effort wide.
It was Mansfield who dictated much of the play during five minutes of additional injury time, deploying numerous counter attacks, though they were ultimately unable to find the net late on.
STAGS: Pym, Akins, Flint, Bowery, McLaughlin (Macdonald 88’), Reed, Boateng (Clarke 45’), Quinn (Lewis 67’), Maris (Johnson 67’), Keillor-Dunn (Gale 67’), Nichols.
UNUSED SUBS: Flinders, Cooper.
BARROW: Farman, Chester, Ray (Foley 50’), Canavan, Worrall, Spence, Campbell (Proctor 88’), Gotts, Newby, Telford (Acquah 59’), Stockton (Whitfield 59’).
UNUSED SUBS: Lillis, Stephenson.
REFEREE: Keith Stroud
ATTENDANCE: 5,668 (980 Mansfield fans)
