‘Train like you play’ urges Graham Couglan as Mansfield Town boss turns up the heat on his under-achieving players

With just one win in 12, Stags desperately need to get some points on the board, starting tomorrow against Bradford City.

But Coughlan is happy they are now looking fitter and creating chances.

“Offensively we are very strong. The amount of chances we are creating per game must be in double figures,” he said.

“We just need to finds that conviction and killer instinct in front of goal and we need to find continuity and consistency in front of our own goal.

“The lads are still doing three training sessions a day and are now lasting longer in games. Their mileage is going through the roof. I believe in training as you play and you have to put in the hours and have that hunger and desire.

“You can't expect to turn up on a Saturday and just switch it on and off.”

He continued: “They have worked hard and bought into everything I have asked. Apart from results, it's been enjoyable.

“But I am a bad loser – I like winning games of football. That's what I am employed for and nobody is happy when we're not winning.”

Stags' latest defeat, a 3-1 loss at in-form Plymouth last Saturday, again saw them dominate but end with nothing to show for it.

“I thought we were excellent on Saturday. I thought our game plan was brilliant and we executed it apart from the free kick in the first half,” he said.

“But I seem to remember us conceding a free kick the week before after also executing a game plan for 50 minutes excellently well.

“So they are the small margins that are going against us.

“There is very little you can do when Lady Luck turns her back on you apart from keep working and keeping your head down, keep a smile on your face, and keep confidence high.

“At this moment in time the performances have been really, really pleasing. The only things that are not going in our favour are clean sheets and the result – and they are paramount to any football club.”

Stags are hopeful that Will Tomlinson, Danny Rose and Hayden White could all have shaken off injuries in time to be in contention tomorrow which would be a major boost.