'It's about making better decisions' - Mansfield Town boss Nigel Clough assesses what his side need to do to secure League One safety
Frustrated Nigel Clough says Mansfield Town must start to make better decisions in both boxes if they are to beat the drop.
Struggling Stags have seen plenty of points slip from their grasp this season following costly errors at both ends of the pitch.
It has left the Stags boss annoyed by the amount of chances that have been spurned as well as penalties gifted to the opposition.
“We had 29 shots against Peterborough and lost 2-1. You can’t afford that in our position,” he said.
“The quality of the chances that we created and the mistakes we made against AFC Wimbledon means we are five points down on where we should be.
“We need to defend without mistakes. One of the features is the amount of penalties we have given away so far this season.
“I think it is about 8 now, which is unsustainable if you want to stay in the league.
“The penalties at Exeter, Port Vale and Northampton weren’t penalties, we have had confirmation of that. But we are putting ourselves in a position where we are giving the referee the opportunity to give them.
“That is still five penalties that have gone against us and rightly so. We have to start making better decisions in both penalty areas. We are making it too easy for the opposition.
“Our play in between the boxes is very good, but ultimately games will be decided in those two penalty areas."
Stags now find themselves four points above the drop zone going into tonight’s big relegation tussle at Rotherham.
Mansfield head to New York Stadium without a win in their last eight games and having scored just five times during that slump.
“Our best performances and finishing has come in the cups,” said Clough.“In the last five home games we have only scored three goals and we need one of our strikers to get us a goal in the important league games.
“It is just about keeping on going and making better decisions. Rhys Oates got in some unbelievably good positions in the 30 minutes he was on the pitch (against AFC Wimbledon) and should have made a goal or scored a goal
“I think we will need more than 50 points this season. It is going to be extremely tight at the bottom half of the league. We just need to put a mini run together now.”
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