‘Absolutely incredible’ says Mansfield Town boss Nigel Clough as his side make it nine wins in 10 games

Stags came from behind to beat Salford City 2-1 and keep the run going at the One Call Stadium today and Clough beamed: “It was an outstanding result and performance again on the back of Tuesday night and the cup win at Doncaster.

“I think it's absolutely incredible to win nine out of 10 from where we've come from with no draws. To actually win nine games is extremely difficult to do.

“A great deal of credit goes to players for how hard they're working.

“We didn't think they would play a three today so I changed the formation after 20 minutes and we settled down after that and looked much better.”

Stags levelled when Rhys Oates got a touch onto a powerful low Stephen McLaughlin free kick and Clough said: “I love those sort of goals where you put a good ball into the box.

“We just say if you're in any doubt, smash it low and hard and it just caught his shin or ankle and rolled in.”

That levelled Salford's ninth minute opener.

“There's no excuse for conceding a goal from a long throw in,” said Clough.

“Jordan Bowery, who was exceptionally good today, was on his heels and lost two two balls in our box, and if you do that you're going to concede.”

Stags won it with a cheeky McLaughlin free kick just before half-time when, with everyone waiting for a cross, he bent a low one inside the near post to catch out the keeper.

“We were behind the free kick and Andy Garner said to me he could bend this round in these conditions,” said Clough.

“It is difficult for a keeper in these conditions and it was a lovely bit of thinking off the cuff, which is what set plays should be.

“For 15-20 minutes of the second half we were very good indeed, as good as we have been.

“We are getting better at seeing out games week by week. To restrict Salford to one long range shot in 49 minutes shows we were organised and we made it hard for them.

“We don't win many games by more than one goal, they're very tight, so we have to learn how to see them out, though not in a negative way as we are always still trying to break and score a goal.”