Nigel Clough hails ‘immense significance’ of win with 10 men

Posted Sunday, January 23, 2022 by PA

Nigel Clough felt Mansfield’s seventh successive league win to equal a club record was a reward for the Stags’ positive approach after going down to 10 men.

Farrend Rawson, sent off in the reverse fixture last October, was red-carded again after 39 minutes for two bookings in quick succession.

But Clough, whose team led 2-1 thanks to goals from Rhys Oates and Stephen McLaughlin, refused to put the brakes on his team – after being inspired by watching Nottingham Forest and Derby play earlier in the day for the trophy bearing his father Brian’s name.

“It is not easy playing against 10 men; I was watching Forest-Derby on the way here and it brought back memories of Derby winning with 10 men (in 2011),” said the proud Mansfield boss.

“You can do it if you are organised and positive. So the last thing we wanted to do was set on the edge of our penalty area.

“Even with 10 men we still had to go forward and get another goal. When the third went in it lifted us for the last 15-20 minutes and deflated Barrow.

“But I don’t think we have sat back from the first game of the season; we don’t play like that.”

Striker Jordan Bowery’s 67th-minute header from McLaughlin’s free-kick to complete a hat-trick of set-piece goals sealed Mansfield’s magnificent seven-game winning run.

“When you win in those circumstances, there is an immense amount of significance,” said Clough. “There was already growing with the run of form we have had. But to get the victory with 10 men just further adds to anything we already had.”

Barrow had won all three meetings against their visitors since returning to the Football League, their last league defeat coming in 1969.

But Mark Cooper’s men paid the price for poor defending leaving their manager angry and frustrated.

“The difference was one set of defenders wanted to head the ball and the other set didn’t,” he blasted.

“You have to have a want and desire to stick your head on the ball when it comes into the box.

“The worrying thing for me is I have defenders who are out of contract this summer. Either they have signed a pre-contract somewhere else or they are not bothered about staying on that performance.

“I would be frightened to death if I was out of contract and playing like that. I have stuck by them all season but that was horrendous.”

Jamie Jones cancelled out Oates’ opener after 40 seconds but fell to the same corner routine for the Stags’ second.

“We gave Mansfield all the encouragement they didn’t need because they are a good team,” added Cooper.

“The centre-halves have to be big and strong and head it. It is frustrating for me because for me it was a lack of desire.”

Skipper and top scorer Ollie Banks gave Barrow a pre-game lift by agreeing a new contract but Cooper said: “He chose to stay but after that he must be wondering what he has done.”