Nigel Clough wants Mansfield Town to use performance against Huddersfield Town as a defensive benchmark
Nigel Clough wants Mansfield Town to use the defensive display against Huddersfield Town as a benchmark for the rest of the campaign.
Plucky Stags picked up a first clean sheet of the season after holding the Terriers to a battling 0-0 draw despite playing the last 46 minutes a man down after Owen Dodgson’s red card.
It left the Stags boss delighted with what he saw and calling on his side to show the same levels of desire going forward.
“It is strange how you get your first clean sheet under these circumstances,” said Clough. “We shouldn’t have to use adversity to defend as though our lives depended on it.
“We have got to match that with all our good play but still defend like that and then we will be getting towards being a good team.
“Every single player that went on the pitch did a job. That is what we need and what we are about as a team and a squad, digging in as we did.
“We were playing against one of the best teams in the league and we protected the clean sheet, and we did it in a way that the crowd like to see.
“Every single player that went out on the pitch, even if out of positon, did a job. We had four different wing-backs down the left during the game, even Liam Thompson had to do five minutes and did a job.”
It means Mansfield are still unbeaten at home after picking up seven points in their opening three games, a run that Clough is naturally keen to see continue.
“The back three were outstanding whether with ten or eleven,” he said. “I thought we played some good stuff with eleven and went toe-to-toe against one of the best sides in the division. We have seen three different performances and all outstanding in their own different ways.
“I am glad that we were able to see it through. It is as good a point as we will get all season and important to keep our unbeaten run going at home.”
It’s a stark contrast to Mansfield’s away form which has left them as the only team in the league yet to pick up a point on the road.
They will be confident of putting that right at the weekend though when Mansfield make the short trip to face Burton Albion.