LATICS made it six unbeaten on the road – a fifth successive shut-out on their travels – after withstanding a strong Stags onslaught at Field Mill last night.

Athletic have now conceded the fewest goals away from home – just one, at Forest Green – than anyone in the top four divisions but they were made to work for their latest clean sheet with goalkeeper Daniel Iversen in inspired form.

Bunn’s men were again missing key man Sam Surridge as Ishmael Miller continued forward duties alongside Chris O’Grady.

The travelling support had to wait for the half-time introduction of Jose Baxter before they were given anything to shout about . . . sound familiar?

The manager made just one change from Saturday with Cameron Dummigan replacing Johan Branger-Engone on the right.

Mansfield started brightly and Daniel Iversen had to make a smart save to his left in the opening five minutes to keep it goalless. Otis Khan struck the bar from close range soon after, before Tyler Walker fired wide with his left foot as the home side piled it on.

Iversen was again to the rescue making a fine save to deny CJ Hamilton on the half-hour mark, then another smart stop kept out Walker.

With little happening at the other end, the most Athletic could muster was the odd cross into the box but Mansfield ’keeper Bobby Olejnik was on hand to collect.

After a disappointing first-half for the visitors, Bunn made two changes at the break, switching to a 3-5-2 formation as Sam Graham and Baxter replaced Cameron Dummigan and Callum Lang. And Baxter was involved just six minutes after the restart when Andy Taylor’s ball in to the box was headed clear to the playmaker but he couldn’t keep his volley down.

Baxter was in the thick of it again when he latched on to Taylor’s pass but sent his effort straight at Olejnik.

Then Baxter’s drive from the edge of the box drifted wide of the post as he showed his obvious attacking threat.

Taylor received the only yellow card for the visitors, after his challenge on Danny Rose from behind was seen as a bookable offence by referee Thomas Bramall.

Former Boundary Park frontman Craig Davies entered the fray from the bench but couldn’t inspire the home side who had a brilliant chance to take all three points near the end – thankfully Will Atkinson headed Jacob Mellis’ (another ex-Latics man) cross wide.

Athletic were having to dig deep but had a great chance of their own to snatch it when Olejnik’s mis-hit clearance fell to O’Grady but the hosts managed to recover the situation and the opportunity petered out.

LATICS (4-4-2): Iversen, Hunt, Clarke, Edmundson, Taylor; Dummigan (Graham 46), Missilou, Gardner, Lang (Baxter 46), Miller (Maouche 76), O’Grady. Subs (not used): De La Paz, Benteke, Branger-Engone, Nepomuceno. Booked: Taylor.

STAR MAN: Daniel Iversen.

MANSFIELD: Olejnik, Benning, Preston, Pearce, Bishop, Khan (Davies 67), Sweeney, Walker (Atkinson 46), Elsnik (Mellis 74), Hamilton, Rose. Subs (not used): Logan, Butcher, Sterling-James, Gibbens. Booked: Bishop.

Attendance: 3,829 (441 away)