Nigel Clough believes ending losing streak will bring change of mindset

Mansfield boss Nigel Clough was relieved to see his side “stop the rot” after ending a five-game losing run with a 1-1 draw against Rochdale and believes it will change the mindset of his players going forward.

Danny Cashman put the visitors ahead five minutes into the second half after Kellan Gordon was robbed of the ball by Matty Dunn.

But Mansfield substitute Danny Johnson levelled late for Stags just three minutes after entering the pitch to earn a share of the points.

“I wish we had got a point in our last four games,” he said. “It is an important point that stops the rot.

“We go into the next game in a different frame of mind. You do not want to be losing week after week, it drags everyone down around the entire club. It is nice to stop that run.”

But Clough was also left rueing yet another costly defensive error as his side fell behind.

“To give a goal away again like we have done is absolutely staggering,” he added.

“All we have done the last two weeks is talk about the goals we have given away from individual errors.

“So therefore when you go on to the pitch as a player in that situation, you do not take any chances whatsoever. Why he took that chance I do not know.

“You can’t work on stuff like that, it is a player attitude thing. They have to take on what we are drilling into them every day, week after week – you do not make those mistakes.

“Without giving the goal away we might have gone and won 1-0.”

The visitors had enjoyed the better of the limited first-half chances with Jake Beesley twice going close early on and went ahead just after half-time through Cashman.

But Mansfield responded with efforts from Jordan Bowery and George Maris before Johnson levelled, and the hosts almost won it late on with Dale goalkeeper Joel Coleman making a great save from Harry Charsley.

Clough added: “It was a much-needed equaliser. Goals change games. It was even until they scored theirs and then they started bossing it and putting us under pressure.

“The second we got our equaliser we were looking like we were going to nick it, probably undeservedly, but we have lost four games undeservedly.”

Rochdale boss Robbie Stockdale was also left frustrated at what he saw as a wasted opportunity.

“It is really frustrating,” he said. “We are frustrated with ourselves, we played as well with the ball as we have in previous weeks and there were spells when we were very good.

“I think it is a positive sign that the dressing room is frustrated coming away with the draw.

“There were a few dubious decisions which didn’t help us at times.

“I felt we got sucked into their way of playing. They made a big fight of it and we lost our composure with the ball.

“If we had continued doing the things we are good at, it would have given us a better chance of winning it.

“I think you always have to see it as a point gained when you draw away from home.”