Huddersfield Town defeat was a missed opportunity says Mansfield Town boss Nigel Clough

The Stags dominated the first half and Will Evans missed an open goal from seven yards.

Play-off chasing Huddersfield then took the lead and Evans and Jordan Rhodes both missed great chances before the Terriers added a second, Dom Dwyer's 84th minute reply being too little too late.

It was a frustrating afternoon as Stags know they should have left Yorkshire with at least a point.

However, with Burton Albion losing, at least the gap to the drop zone remains eight points with six games left.

“This was a huge missed opportunity, especially in the first half where we had by far the better of it and the situations with no one having the real conviction to go and get us a goal,” said Clough.

“That is now two narrow defeats in a row against top six sides, ex-Premier League sides, and we just need that little extra and that bit of belief.

“Our general football and 80 or 90 per cent of what we are doing is very good indeed. It is just that final bit.

“We have maintained that gap to the bottom today which is good news and another one ticked off, and a very tough game.

“We will keep playing like we have in these last two games and just hope someone can get us a goal.”

On Evans' horror miss on 10 minutes, Clough said: “We were unlucky with the first shot to hit the post. It came back out very quickly and one thing we ask the players to do is stop the ball.

“He could have stopped the ball and rolled it into an empty net but they keep on doing this first time thing and it bounces off people, as happened quite a few times on a beautiful pitch today.

“We just showed a lack of quality in and around the final third.”

He added: “I think Huddersfield were extremely relieved to get to half-time at 0-0 - and then they came out and improved in the second half.

“Their first goal was an exceptionally good finish.

“They were given too much space for the second one but we were chasing the game a bit at that point, maybe too much too early.

“We got one back and then the referee, who had been very good for 95 minutes, gave two free kicks against us which were out of kilter with his general performance.”