Nigel Clough praises character as Mansfield Town grab deserved late point at rivals Bradford City

It did come at a price as Louis Reed, Rhys Oates and Callum Johnson all went off injured before half-time, but Stags dominated the second half in front of a huge Valley Parade crowd and got their just desserts at the death.

“We deserved at least a point without a doubt and I actually thought we played for periods of the game than we did last week,” said Clough.

“The only disappointing factor of the afternoon was conceding that goal from a set play, almost unchallenged again.

“We just need a break somewhere either with an injury or a decision now and again would not go amiss.

“But we have showed character and desire today. If you have a flaky squad with one or two not up for it with 19 games left, you go under second half. You don't come out and stick your chest out and play like we did in front of almost 19,000 people.

“It puts things in perspective. We got our best crowd for 20 years last week of over 8,000 and here they are getting nearly 19,000.”

Stags too over 1,800 of their own fans to Yorkshire and Clough said: “That was fantastic support again today and it felt like a win under the circumstances of the game.

“It feels like it's worth more than a point and it may well be in terms of confidence going forward.

“I wish our equaliser had been six minutes later, although we were trying to win it in the last five minutes. But we conceded a couple of daft free kicks and could have lost it, but we defended them well.

“We deserved an equaliser before we got one. Alfie Kilgour hit the bar and Perchy (James Perch) should have scored before the ball was cleared off the line.

“But amidst all that I thought Scott Flinders made an absolutely magnificent save around the hour mark down to his right hand side. If that went in it was game over but he kept us in it.

“It shows the value of having a trustworthy second choice keeper is incredible.”

On the first half injury nightmare, Clough said: “Over 20-odd years I don't think we have ever lost five players injured in the first half of a game over the course of a season sometimes.

“To lose five players over two games in the space of 30-40-odd minutes is incredible.

“Then of course you have no other opportunity to make substitutions other than half-time. The rule has to change. It does not allow for circumstances like that and it was no one's fault they were injured but we just needed that flexibility in that second half.

“Literally for 45 minutes you cannot make a sub. Someone could break a leg and we couldn't bring a sub on. It was a very difficult situation at half-time. I didn't think Keiran Wallace or Stephen Quinn were bad but you had to try to anticipate the game.”

And on the trio that went off he said: “Louis has his knee in a brace. It was a block tackle and I think he has opened his ligaments out . We are not yet sure how serious it is.

“It is his shoulder this time, not his pectoral. It was slipping in and out and he has it in a sling. He will need a scan.

“The straightforward one is Callum Johnson, who overstretched his groin. We will know more on the other two after scans this week.”

Deadline day signing David Keillor-Dunn made a first half debut as a sub and Clough added: “I was delighted with him. I thought he was very good on the ball.

“I was delighted with our January transfers and just wish the window was open a couple more days. “The four new signings are for beyond this season as well.”