Mansfield Town manager Nigel Clough expressed deep disappointment over the conclusion of his team’s impressive 17-game unbeaten streak, as Swindon Town secured a last-minute 2-1 victory in a match that saw a 49th-minute equalizer from substitute Lucas Akins.
Despite Akins’ efforts, Jake Young’s 38th-minute volley and a subsequent late goal in the third added minute marked the end of Mansfield’s unbeaten run. Clough lamented the disheartening manner in which his team surrendered the streak, stating, “It was just an incredibly disappointing way to have worked unbelievably hard for 17 games, 18 with the one last season, and then to give it away in that manner today.”
Reflecting on the overall performance, Clough acknowledged that the team wasn’t at its best, especially in the first half. He commented, “We got the goal back and you sensed it was very open. We missed chance after chance again today, though they had a lot of situations as well.”
Despite believing that a draw would have been a fair result, Clough noted the team’s inability to see out the last few minutes. He emphasized the importance of maintaining a defensive mindset and lamented, “We didn’t quite have that mentality today.”
In an effort to bolster the team’s performance in the second half, Clough made strategic substitutions, bringing on Akins and Stephen Quinn while taking off Jordan Bowery and George Maris at halftime. Clough explained his decision, stating, “I took Jordan Bowery and George Maris off at half-time as I didn’t think they’d done enough – there were a few didn’t do enough today.”
The disappointment was further compounded by defensive lapses, with Clough expressing dissatisfaction with Rhys Oates’ marking for Swindon’s opener. Clough also criticized the referee for not awarding a free kick in the build-up to the goal, stating, “Rhys Oates was marking their lad for their first goal and he let him get away. It was little things like that today.”
Highlighting a controversial moment, Clough revealed that the referee apologized for a missed foul in the build-up to Swindon’s goal, acknowledging, “The fourth official told him it was a foul. The referee then came over at the start of the second half and said he should have listened to his fourth official.”
Both teams had penalty appeals in the second half, with Clough expressing his belief that they were legitimate. He added, “I think one decision affected the other,” suggesting a potential impact on the overall outcome.
Looking ahead, Clough emphasized the need to regroup for the upcoming game against Tranmere on Tuesday. Despite the bitter taste of defeat, he hoped the players would find motivation in the unpleasant experience and strive for a positive response in the next match.
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