A strike from Lee Holmes three minutes from time earned Exeter City a battling point away at Mansfield Town.

The Grecians had fallen behind to Kane Hemmings first-half strike and needed a couple of goalline clearances from Dean Moxey to stay in the game before Mansfield-born Holmes struck late.

City were forced into one change from the side that lost to Port Vale last time out as Pierce Sweeney was ruled out through food poisoning.

That saw West Bromwich Albion loanee Kane Wilson given his first league start for the club.

The Grecians started off well, getting the first effort on target as Reuben Reid pulled the ball back for Kyle Edwards to have a shot at goal from eight yards out but his effort was well blocked by Conrad Logan.

However, that proved to be one of few efforts that the visitors had in the opening 45 minutes as the home side penned them back with Alex MacDonald particularly impressive down the right.

City were architects of their own downfall for the goal that saw them go behind though as, from a throw in on the left, they lost possession cheaply and the home side broke up field through CJK Hamilton who squared the ball to Kane Hemmings to slide the ball past Christy Pym from close range.

The second half began with City again going close early on as Kyle Edwards weaved his way past a couple of challenges on the edge of the box before Logan came off his line quickly to smother the ball at his feet.

As the half went on though Mansfield began to pile on the pressure a superb sliding block from Moxey to prevent Jacob Mellis from making it 2-0.

The four minutes later Hemmings was in on goal once more, but this time Pym made a superb block and, as the ball looked to be bouncing its way towards the bottom corner, Moxey was again in the right place to boot the ball off the line.

Pym then had to produce two further smart saves to keep City in it. The first from came from a half volley from Danny Rose, that he turned around the post.

The second was when his opposite number Logan tried to lift a free-kick from inside his own half over his head, with the help of the blustery conditions at the One Call Stadium, but Pym was equal to it.

That gritty, battling qualities that the Grecians showed provided the platform for them to draw level as Liam McAlinden hit a shot from the edge of the box that Logan blocked. The ball fell kindly to Holmes who hit a sweet strike into the bottom corner to send the 360 City fans behind the goal into raptures.

That celebration was cut short when Kane Wilson was shown a second yellow for kicking the ball away, but it could have got even better for the Grecains in the closing stages as another substitute Jordan Storey had a back post header well saved in the final minute of stoppage time.

Mansfield: Logan; Anderson, Pearce, Bennett, Benning; MacDonald, Mellis (Atkinson, 83), Byrom, Hamilton; Hemmings (Spencer, 78), Rose (Angol, 88).

Subs not used: Olejnik, Digby, Sterling-James, Butcher.

City: Pym; Wilson, Brown, Moore-Taylor, Moxey; Taylor, James (McAlinden, 72), Boateng, Edwards; Stockley (Holmes, 64), Reid (Storey, 93).

Subs not used: Hamon, Jay, Byrne, Sparkes.

Attendance: 3,608 (360 away).