A hugely controversial result left Mansfield Town still without a win at Meadow Lane since 1958, but how close they came.
The Stags, though bottom of the table, shook their hosts for long periods with the quality of their football and it was no more than they deserved when Liam Lawrence put them ahead shortly before half time.
Lawrence was Mansfield's best player throughout, creating chances with dangerous runs and accurate passes but on this occasion he was in County's penalty box to fire inside Stuart Garden's left hand upright.
The Magpies were below par throughout the first half and it was not until Darren Caskey was brought off the bench after 56 minutes that they began to find any sort of form.
Richard Liburd scrambled an equaliser for them just after the hour mark and as the game see-sawed it was anybody's guess as to what the result would be.
Then County substitute Danny Allsopp was brought down 22 yards from goal and Caskey produced one of his majestic free-kicks to rifle the ball into the top corner of the net beyond a helpless Kevin Pilkington.
Amazingly it was Caskey's first goal of the season.
But Mansfield were not finished and in stoppage time Iyseden Christie had three chances.
He was wide with one, had another blocked by Danny Stone and then poached the equaliser four minutes into stoppage time.
Magpies manager Billy Dearden - who used to be in charge at Mansfield - was livid and made his displeasure to referee Jeff Winter clear as he left the pitch. Not only was the game four minutes into overtime after three had been allowed, but Christie appeared yards off side.
It left County still having won only once in nine starts at Meadow Lane.
Mansfield boss Stuart Watkiss felt that the Stags had sufficient chances to have won all three points