17/03/2008 - Bradford 1 Mansfield Town 2
It was fitting Mansfield's tremendous away following cheered their side to victory at Valley Parade from the TL Dallas Stand.
While the match was no classic, for visiting fans it had all the drama of an episode of the famous US soap.
Supporting the Stags has never been for the faint-hearted, especially now the team are teetering on the edge of a fall into the Blue Square Premier.
But, during this 90 minutes in West Yorkshire, Mansfield's backers were made to sample the kind of highs and lows normally reserved for the characters on Southfork ranch.
First came the elation as the Stags swept into a deserved 15th minute lead. Then the frustration as their team failed to capitalise on their domination with a second goal. Next was a feeling of despair as Bradford equalised on the stroke of half-time, followed by a sense of fear at the break that the game might slip away from Mansfield in the second period.
When it became clear the Stags were not going to buckle, relief was the overriding emotion, while another strike from their side, to put them 2-1 in front, brought more joy. From then on, it was anxiety all the way as Mansfield battled hard to hold on to their lead until, come the final whistle, sheer delight took centre stage.
As the singing fans drifted out into the drizzling rain, caretaker manager Paul Holland was left to reflect on a three points which was as vital for the team's cause as his own.
With relegation rivals Macclesfield and Wrexham having both won, a defeat would have left the Stags in danger of falling irreparably behind in the race to avoid the drop from League Two.
As it is, they have narrowed the gap to get out of the drop zone to three points - with a game in hand on third-bottom Notts County. From a personal point of view, the win has greatly strengthened 'Dutch's' chances of landing the role full-time.
Having the backing of the players is one thing, but results in this game are all important and two losses in both games in temporary charge would not have done his case much good.
Now, though, Holland must be favourite, despite his lack of management experience because, with ten games to go, Mansfield are fast running out of time.
As he has pointed out, an outsider would take three or four games to get his feet under the table and assess the squad. At that point, it could already be too late.
Light is set to be shed on the matter early this week - maybe even today - with chief executive Stephen Booth and chairman James Derry indicating they will soon be ready to appoint Billy Dearden's successor.
But it is fair to say Holland could not have done much more in his two-game stint, instilling a sense of passion and pride into the team's performances.
With Carl Muggleton unable to play against one of his many former clubs because of the groin injury sustained against Hereford, Jason White took over between the sticks for his first start since August.
He reassured his defence and the Mansfield supporters behind his goal early on by coming off his line to make a couple of welcome punches clear.
But it was at the other end where most of the action was as the Stags quickly slotted into the passing groove Holland is eager to see. Even before the visitors went in front, the threat was there as Michael Boulding flashed just over the top on the turn, so when the breakthrough came, it was no real surprise. The goal was superbly fashioned as Boulding's audacious dummy enabled him to fool Darren Williams and race on to Gareth Jelleyman's ball down the left flank.
The striker picked out the supporting Arnold, who jinked inside a would-be tackler, before finding the left-hand corner from the edge of the box with the aid of a slight deflection off David Wetherall. Almost immediately, Boulding had a glorious opportunity to double the advantage when Matt Hamshaw's cross found him six yards out, only for the ball to skim off his head and fly wide of goal.
It was the kind of moment you thought Mansfield might come to regret come full-time, especially when former Stag Barry Conlon scored his second in as many games to equalise in first-half stoppage time. After rarely threatening, City won a free-kick midway inside the Stags' half that was floated into the box by Paul Heckingbottom. White started to come until realising he wasn't going to get there, but his retreat came too late.
Conlon got in his header and looped the ball over the stranded keeper. It was game on for the second half.
The Bantams' blitz, however, did not materialise, allowing the Stags to get their noses back in front.
Arnold worked space on the left to put over a teasing cross that Bradford could only half-clear to Stephen Dawson.
Facing a wall of defenders, the Irishman slipped the ball to Boulding, whose low shot clipped the inside of the left post before rolling tantalisingly just over the line for his 21st of the season.
Only then did Bradford slip into top gear with the help of substitutes Tom Penford, Omar Daley and Willy Topp, the latter who went closest after ghosting past two tackles. But, by and large, they found Mansfield a tough nut to crack as the whole team dug in to ensure a leveller proved beyond the hosts.
After such an eventful match, how the Stags would now love for a regulation Field Mill win against Grimsby on Saturday. A 1-0 scoreline would be just the job for home supporters. Leave all the exciting scripts to JR Ewing and co.