'We have to play better': Nigel Clough highlights improvement areas for Mansfield Town after 3-0 Macclesfield win

Nigel Clough wasn’t impressed with Mansfield Town’s first half performance against Macclesfield but is pleased his side got the job done in the end.

Aware of the upsets Macclesfield are capable of – having knocked out former champions Crystal Palace last season – Mansfield Town were tested by the away side in their FA Cup first round clash.

Nigel Clough during the Sky Bet League One match between Mansfield Town and AFC Wimbledon at One Call Stadium on February 28, 2026 in Mansfield, England. (Photo by Leila Coker/Getty Images)

placeholder image — Nigel Clough during the Sky Bet League One match between Mansfield Town and AFC Wimbledon at One Call Stadium on February 28, 2026 in Mansfield, England. (Photo by Leila Coker/Getty Images)

Clough said the Silkmen had ‘too many situations’ in the first half, which ended 1-0 to Stags after a Nathan Moriah-Welsh goal.

Sloppy passing was a key mention in the manager’s post-match reflections and he has stressed his side must do better as they move forward this season.

“I think we made very hard work of it in the first half and started poorly. We were a bit better in the second half and could have scored more goals but they had too many situations for my liking,” Clough said.

“I thought we were a bit sloppy to start with. We had poor decisions in the first half – on the ball, giving the ball away, when to shoot, when to cross. We played some nice football in the second half though and got into some very good positions. My pick of the goals was probably Jordan Bowery – it was a brilliant ball from Tyler Roberts.”

After Moriah-Welsh’s first half goal, Rhys Oates doubled Stags’ lead late in the second half before Bowery’s superb run and finish in stoppage time secured the victory.

Oates was put into the starting line-up just five minutes before kick-off after Louis Reed ‘felt his hip in the warm-up’ and was replaced.

Deji Oshilaja also didn’t make the squad after suffering a knee injury.

Clough praised Oates for ‘causing problems all afternoon’ for Macclesfield and said his goal was ‘thoroughly deserved’.

“We’re into the second round of the FA Cup with a clean sheet but we know we have to play a bit better. We’ve given the ball away in the last three games very uncharacteristically, that’s something we need to address.

“You have to get through them, it’s how you do it as well,” the manager said, reflecting on these early FA Cup fixtures. “I wasn’t too impressed with how we went about it in the first half but we got there in the end.”