Manager Nigel Clough says Mansfield ‘gave everything’ in their 2-1 away defeat to Walsall but ultimately it ‘wasn’t their day in the penalty area’.
Stags created a number of high-quality goalscoring opportunities in the first-half but the contest remained goalless at the break.
Stephen Quinn superbly struck an equaliser for Mansfield on 50 minutes to cancel out Jamille Matt’s 47th minute opener before Emmanuel Adegboyega converted Walsall’s second fifteen minutes later.
Speaking to iFollow Stags after the match, Nigel offered his analysis: “Missed chances and a soft second goal, cost us the game.
“There’s an argument to say that we had better chances today than we did on Tuesday [beating Harrogate 9-2]. Our finishing wasn’t quite [as clinical] as it was on Tuesday night. We didn’t hit the target enough and we were made to pay for those missed chances.
“That’s the way it goes in football.
“Sometimes you just don’t get that break.”
The visitors appeared to have broken the deadlock on 32 minutes when Aiden Flint’s back-post attempt beat Saddlers’ goalkeeper Jackson Smith at his near post to cross the goalline, only for the officials not to award a goal.
The gaffer said: “We had six quality chances [in the first half] and we think there’s one [attempt that went] over the line as well.
“It’s difficult for the assistant to see but we think it’s over the line. I think it’s fair to say it wasn’t our day in the penalty area.
“I think the assistant was slightly unsighted so you’re looking for a bit of help [from the referee].
“The lads at the time were absolutely adamant. You saw Flinty’s reaction.
“We’ve had two games where the finishing has been exemplary to score 13 goals in two games. I suppose it was one of those where we might not be as clinical.”
Nigel and his team were backed by 1,637 raucous travelling Stags’ supporters inside Poundland Bescot Stadium and the boss added: “[They were] Unbelievable.
“I think the reception from the fans [showed] that they understand we’ve given everything today again. We’ve given the soft goal away but it’s just not fallen for us.”
