We need to play better than that to clinch promotion says Mansfield Town boss Nigel Clough after narrow win at Newport County

George Maris netted the winner on 50 minutes, but dominant Stags wasted a string of other chances to win more convincingly with keeper Christy Pym untroubled at the other end.

Mansfield are now three points clear at the top ahead of Tuesday night's home showdown with promotion rivals MK Dons and Clough said: “As pleased as we are with the result today, we're not getting carried away.

“We are under no illusions that if we don't play better on Tuesday, or next Saturday or in the forthcoming games, then we will lose one or two.

“We did just enough today but I want us to be better in the next 12 games.

“I do think we've got more as well – we can play better than that.

“We controlled the game for long periods but we weren't very good in the final third, especially in the first half.

“Then when you do get that goal ahead you're looking to build on it. We has numerous situations and chances to do that but couldn't quite get it.

“So therefore the clean sheet was by far the most important thing today. It is all about the result.”

He added: “It is unusual for us to only score one. But the situations were there again. We just needing them finishing.

“I was a bit frustrated in the first half as, with Stockport being off today and Wimbledon beating MK Dons in the 94th minute before we kicked off, I thought it was a good incentive for us and we would have been a bit brighter and have a bit more intent to go and win the game early on. Teams are a bit wary of us.”

Stags achieved a 13th clean sheet of the season and Clough said: “The back four were very good indeed with Reedy (Louis Reed) protecting them and I don't think Christy has had a shot to save today, which is some going coming here. They put a lot of balls into the penalty area.

“Aden Flint showed his experience today and just played his position and stayed in the middle. He cleared the ball when he needed to, headed the ball when he needed to, no frills or fuss, just do your job.

“We made them work very hard to get anything at all, and they didn't really.”

Striker Will Swan missed the game with a 'small muscle injury' from training but Stags hope he will be fit enough to return to the squad on Tuesday.