Nigel Clough feels the world is against Mansfield Town after defeat to Barrow

Ollie Banks banged home a second half penalty to leave Stags eight games without a win.

“It was never a penalty,” he said. It was a challenge at the back past like you saw throughout the game and that doesn’t get given

“There was no penalty given for several seconds. The fourth official said it was thinking time and that worries me tremendously.

“The last time we saw this ref was at Cheltenham in the FA Cup last season and the decisions the officials made that day contributed to us getting knocked out.

“The decisions the officials have made today have contributed to us losing today.

“We are not getting one break at the minute with anything anywhere on the pitch at the moment.

“Every single thing is going against us. It feels like the world is against us.”

Barrow enjoyed the best of the first half chances with Josh Kay hitting the bar and Patrick Brough having a header cleared off the line.

Banks gave Barrow the lead after Harry Charsley pushed Mark Ellis.

Farrend Rawson was then dismissed for bringing down Joe Grayson when he was through.

But Clough admitted that his side need to do more in the final third if they are to start putting wins together.

He added: “I wasn’t too disappointed with how we played, especially in the first half.

“The penalty was a big knockback as we were settling into the second half and we were pressing

“We had an attempt kicked off the line and had another chance go just over at the end. We got in good positions but didn’t create enough chances and work the keeper enough.

“We needed better decision making in and around the box. We had five shots in and around the box in the first half and missed the target every time.”

But Clough was happy with his side’s defensive efforts and has vowed they will keep working hard to turn things around.

“It was the conditions today where you need to work the keeper and maybe he spills one,” he added.

“I thought we were pretty solid defensively and Nathan Bishop didn’t have a lot to do.

“I thought the least we deserved was a clean sheet and a point.

“The penalty knocked up, when things go against you you see heads dropped.

“It is tough times, we have seven players out and we can’t win a game to save our lives.

“We have to pick the lads up, we have to turn it around and keep working hard.

“We can’t do anything to legislate against a penalty being given against us like that.

“We thought we had a platform to take it on today and get the win, but the decision has rocked us.”

Stags face Sheffield Wednesday this Tuesday in the Papa John’s Trophy before a massive home match against fellow strugglers Oldham next weekend.