Nigel Clough hails 'outstanding nine months' as Mansfield Town all but mathematically secure top half finish
Nigel Clough hailed ‘an outstanding nine months’ after Mansfield Town all but mathematically secured a top half finish following tonight’s 0-0 draw at Peterborough.
Stags bagged the point they needed to secure an impressive top 12 finish barring the most improbable set of results on the final day.
It left Clough to reflect on an excellent end to Mansfield’s 23 games on their travels.
“When you look at 7 points from the three away games, it is a brilliant return,” said Clough. “Another clean sheet and a top half finish, it’s been an outstanding nine months.
“There have been some incredible memories away this season. When you look at the top eight there is only Cardiff who have beaten us.
“There was the win at Chesterfield early in the season. It was brilliant playing at Everton and getting wins at Sheffield United and Burnley, as well as the monsoon at Accrington.”
Stags enjoyed the better of the few first half opportunities with Will Evans, Lucas Akins and Tyler Roberts all having sights on goal.
It was the visitors who also came closest to winning it in the second half with Rhys Oates twice going close in added time.
“We had some good situations in the first half,” reflected Clough. “We were clinical at Huddersfield and that is the only difference with Saturday.
“We had three shots on target at Huddersfield and scored four goals. Tonight I thought we got in similar positions and didn’t capitalise on them. That’s the difference in games.
“Rhys livened it up when he came on. We started a bit sloppy but we grew into the game. There were little patches but I thought we played well.”
The 0-0 draw gave Stags a remarkable 16 clean sheets of the season with Clough keen to put the praise on the whole team for that stat.
“We had no Deji (Oshilaja) or Frazer Blake-Tracy tonight, which is a great effort,” he added.
“It is a collective thing. The strikers worked hard to stop them getting started and that's where it begins, then the blocks and the goalkeeper when needed. It is the whole team when needed.”
Stags end the season this weekend at home to an already promoted Cardiff City who are now the only side who can do the double over Mansfield.