Nigel Clough says Burton Albion draw 'a fair result' as Mansfield Town go eight unbeaten
Mansfield Town extended their unbeaten streak to eight games in League One following their latest result against Burton Albion, who are desperate for points on the board.
Gary Bowyer’s side are just two points clear of the bottom four following their draw at the One Call Stadium, while Stags have put seven between them and the danger zone. Mansfield keep their solid run of unbeaten form ticking over but they weren’t able to break down Albion for another big win after beating Northampton and Doncaster.
Nigel Clough feels the 0-0 score-line was a ‘fair result’ considering the performance from both sides. The two teams managed 11 shots towards goal each but Stags were unable to convert their four on target. Clough’s second half substitutions did well to inject fresh energy into the clash but Mansfield were forced to settle for the lone point as Albion dug deep to avoid a loss.
“A break like we had against Doncaster didn’t quite come so I thought a draw was probably a fair result,” Clough reflected at full-time.
“It was one of those – you could win the game 1-0 or you could lose it. But I think in the previous season, we would have lost that and I think it’s a step forward and you can see that with the clean sheets and the defensive record when we’re getting these points on the board.”
Harry Lewis was given the nod in between the sticks against Burton Albion while regular first choice Liam Roberts was absent from the team-sheet. Clough has confirmed Roberts is out due to a minor injury following the Doncaster game.
“Harry Lewis has come in for two games [this season] – he’s hardly played and he’s kept two clean sheets for us, so brilliant for us and for him. I thought the way we competed from set plays was the key today. They’re a very awkward team to play against, that’s why they get results against some of the top teams. But all the long throws, the corners and free-kicks, I thought we dealt with them brilliantly.”
On Roberts, Clough said: “He’s okay, it’s just his calf. We thought it was just a bit of cramp at first but it’s something a little bit more than that. He’s got a chance for next week so we’ll see how he goes this week but there was no point risking him today. If he’d have done it [his calf] properly then he’s probably out for the rest of the season.”