Mansfield Town manager Nigel Clough says Stags ‘threw away two points’ after Hartlepool United striker Joshua Umerah bagged twice as the Pools came from 2-0 behind to earn a draw at One Call Stadium.
The amber and blue looked to be in the driving seat after two goals in nine minutes saw Mansfield take a 2-0 advantage, courtesy of goals from George Lapslie and Riley Harbottle.
But lapse defending saw Keith Curle’s side earn an unlikely point.
And speaking after the game to iFollow Stags, Nigel said: “Without a doubt, we’ve thrown two points away. [I] Hope it doesn't cost us come the end of the season. I don't think we’ll be in a better position to win a game than we were tonight.
“[We] Had the jubilation of scoring late at Crewe last week and we’ve got the other side of it tonight and conceded late on.
“The equaliser, that can happen in the last minute. It was the first [that we shouldn’t be conceding] when we’re 2-0 up; in complete control and the last thing you do is give the opposition a lifeline.
“People didn't do their jobs, that's it.
”Speaking of Pools’ first goal, he said: “[I] Think it went back, first of all to Christy Pym, then it came to Oli Hawkins who gave a loose pass and Riley Harbottle gave the goal away.
“It was thirty [to] sixty seconds of very poor play.”
After a positive start to the second-half, when asked if the Stags became too comfortable Nigel said: “The rest of the team weren't, it was just one or two individuals.
“I thought we missed two or three very good chances and I thought we probably should have put the game to bed by half-time. [We] Came out the second half [and] got the two goals and then we really should be more professional.
Stephen Quinn found the back of the net in the first half but it was deemed offside by the assistant.
“Our analyst thinks he might have just been offside,” said the manager.
“[We had] Two or three great chances to get ahead. I thought our general play was very good. Our approach play was good, just not good enough finishing until the second half.
Following a disappointing ending to the game, Nigel was asked if he learned anything about his squad.
“You learn things good [or] bad every single game,” he said.
“The team learns as well I hope because it's something we haven't done, throw away leads.
“In numerous games we’ve been ahead and we’ve really looked after the lead and done it professionally. We didn't do it tonight.”
