Mansfield Town boss Nigel Clough delighted and optimistic for the future, despite narrow defeat at rivals Wrexham

Stags enjoyed the lion's share of possession and created the better chances but were undone by an early Ryan Barnett goal as fifth-placed Stags lost to the wealthy third-placed Red Dragons.

But Clough beamed: “We are hugely encouraged by our first 13 games, not just the results and the points return but the manner of the performances.

“That we can come to third in the league today and everything that Wrexham are about with the resources and finances that they put onto the pitch, yet we can come and play like that in our first season in League One, I am absolutely thrilled.

“It gives us so much optimism going forward for the last 33 games.

“We have an awful lot to be proud of so far and we can't wait to face Bristol Rovers in two weeks time.

“All we want to is to play like we did today and we will win more than we lose.

“It wasn't just the effort, it was the quality of play as well.

“We were the ones getting it down and playing, I just want out centre halves to take a bit more responsibility and go with the ball a little bit more to try to create.”

He added: “It was a bit of deja-vu where we have come here and played extremely well.

“They scored a brilliant early goal, but the general standard of our play and performance today was excellent, so I have absolutely no problems at all.

“We hit the bar and got in some great positions. We could easily not just have had a draw but we could have won the game.

“We just couldn't find that bit of quality today, which happens at times.

“Wrexham had suffered from that over the last few weeks. Today they put one in and it was enough.

“But I was pleased with how we approached and went about the game.

“Coming to a side that is third, I thought we were magnificent.

“Being the last game before the international break I asked the lads to go out and play and I thought we did that.”

Little went Stags' way with decisions from the officials yet again at the Racecourse Ground and Clough said: “I was very disappointed with the referee's performance today.

“I thought we should have had a penalty after a few minutes on Lee Gregory.

“And I was incredibly disappointed in a lot of the decisions today.

“Advantage was not played at all apart from one when we didn't want it.

“It was a sign of a referee who does not understand the advantage rule.

“Every time we come here we don't get a break. It always seems to be the case on this ground unfortunately.”

Stags lost keeper Christy Pym to injury before the break and Clough is not yet sure what the problem was, saying: “It was neck, shoulder, head, whatever, I don't know.

“We will have to wait and see.

“Scott Flinders was excellent when he came on and made one magnificent save.

“Now we have the break and we will see how Christy is after that.”