Huge test at in-form Leyton Orient as Mansfield Town aim to halt six-game losing streak

The O's have had a run of exceptional results since the turn of the year and only lost 2-1 to Manchester City in the FA Cup at the weekend while Stags went down 1-0 at home to Northampton Town on Friday.

“We need a result,” said Clough.

“We had that bad run before Christmas and then went to Charlton, got a 0-0 and then we won four out of five.

“If we can do that then we are safe.

“That is all we have got to do in any spell in the next 18 games. We need four wins and maybe a draw as well to get to that 50-point mark and that is all we are aiming for.

“We have more than enough to get that, it's just the longer it goes the more nervous people get.

“We all have to pull together and stay together.

“It is important for the crowd to stick with us too as they did on Friday night, despite another home defeat.

“There were a lot of encouraging shouts as we left the pitch. I think they can see there is no lack of effort from the players - and that we are missing six or seven starters.”

Clough is not paying too much attention to how impressively Orient played against City.

“Playing Manchester City we can't read too much about them, it's more about the bread and butter games they've played in the last few weeks,” he said.

“I think they are probably the form team in the league at the moment and must be absolutely brimming with confidence as they've had an incredible run.

“They made a bit of a slow start but have picked up unbelievably in the last two or three months.

“You never know what they will be like after the cup tie, but I don't think it will have done them any harm.

“With the scoreline only being 2-1 and being beaten by a relatively late goal, I think it will have given them a lift.”

He added: “We are aware that the next four games are against sides above us, two at home and two away, and we need to get some results on the back of six consecutive defeats.

“But we have shown we have nothing to fear when we go anywhere in this league, especially when we have got out best team out which we won't quite have at the moment.

“That's how we have to approach it. We're still in a reasonable position – and we have got to get four wins out of the next 18 games.

“We were under no illusions when we were playing four sides in the bottom six – and we lost them all.

“It makes no difference in this league and the next four will be just as hard in different ways.

“Over the season we have shown we are as likely to get a result against someone in the top six as we are in the bottom six.

“We have lost so many games by a single goal.”

Clough believes there were plenty of positives from Friday, despite the result.

“I thought the last 30-40 minutes of the game we were very good indeed. And with a little bit of good fortune and better finishing we could have got something out of the game,” he said.

“That has been the story in the last few games.

“Being beaten by a set play is always disappointing when we highlighted that would be Northampton's main threat.

“That is the way it seems to be going at the moment.

“But we didn't crumble and go under – we stuck our chest out and created three or four very good chances.

“I said a few weeks ago that I think we are going to have to be absolutely faultless to get a result – and that is how it feels.

“We dealt with 99 per cent of what Northampton threw at us and tried to get the ball down and play.

“We got into some good situations and areas, especially late on, and we just had to finish one of those off.

“It is a clean sheet we are absolutely desperate for at the moment.

“Three draws would have broken these defeats up and that is the biggest thing this season, I don't think we have had enough draws.

“We've had far too many defeats and not enough draws.

“We need to turn defeats into draws and from draws you get to wins.”