After Mansfield Town’s valiant display against Arsenal in the FA Cup, Nigel Clough has stressed the importance of picking up points in League One between now and the end of the season.
Mansfield Town were not willing to make it an easy afternoon for Arsenal and fans will hope to see the team’s resilience applied to the remainder of the League One campaign. Clough has been left impressed with his side’s account of themselves in the FA Cup and Carabao Cup, having thrown everything at top flight sides Everton, Burnley and Arsenal across the two tournaments.
But despite the Stags’ impressive Cup efforts, the main focus has always been on ‘the bread and butter’ league fixtures and avoiding a tussle at the bottom of the table.
Mansfield Town manager Nigel Clough looks on during a Sky Bet League One match (Photo by Pete Norton/Getty Images)placeholder image
Mansfield Town manager Nigel Clough looks on during a Sky Bet League One match (Photo by Pete Norton/Getty Images)
“The Cups have been very good but there's no point in doing it if we don't stay in the league, and that has to be the priority,” Clough said after Stags’ FA Cup fifth round exit.
“We've got 12 league games left in a short space of time, so it's a good job we didn't get through or we would've had a huge fixture problem. But yeah, they are far more important games.”
It’s been a rollercoaster League One season for the Stags, putting them in the bottom half of the table after yo-yoing from impressive unbeaten streaks to frustrating winless runs. Stags lost five of six league games between November and December, including a 3-0 defeat to Cardiff City.
The tides turned on Boxing Day thanks to a win over Barnsley, which sparked a four-game winning streak, but since the 1-1 draw against Stevenage on January 24th, they have struggled to rediscover their form and goals have also been hard to come by on occasion. Prior to the 2-2 draw against AFC Wimbledon, Stags found the back of the net just three times in seven matches.
Despite recent disappointing League One results and the feeling Stags could have pushed Arsenal even further, Clough assures his players haven’t been short of passion and drive this season.
“It’s been there most of the time, honestly, all throughout. We just haven’t had our breaks. I think they’re in good spirits and in good nick at the moment, as a squad.”
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