‘Brilliant point on the road’ says Nigel Clough after Mansfield Town’s stalemate at in-form Stevenage

There were few chances in a tight 90 minutes on a frosty surface, but Clough was delighted with the display.

“It is a brilliant point on the back of the euphoria of last week's last minute win against Colchester. Let's get some points and clean sheets on the road to build up confidence,” he said.

“We've not had enough draws, we've not won enough games and we've had too many losses. Getting points like this are very important.

“A little bit more quality in the final third and we might have won it today. I thought we knocked it about well today with not too many chances created.

“We we didn't come and shut up shop. We controlled large parts of the game.”

Rhys Oates was denied by the keeper in an early one on one and Clough said: “It was probably the best chance of the game after a few minutes – there weren't many others.

“Last season Rhys had a chance like that a few times and put it away and we won 1-0. That's why we've missed his threat.”

Stevenage had one real chance all game when Luke Norris pulled a low finish wide from close range on 88 minutes and Clough said: “It was a scramble, it fell to the lad and he put it a yard or two wide.

“It would have been highly unjust on us if we had lost that game 1-0 today.

“We were very pleased with our defensive display today. We have had problems conceding goals, especially on the road of late. I thought today, as a team, we defended brilliantly and we were also a threat.

“Christy Pym has only had one save to make from distance and that was against at team that had won nine out of 10 and just won 5-0 against fourth in the league last week - and we have come here in slightly indifferent form in the last six weeks and I think that is the best we have defended in terms of organisation.

“|Everyone did their jobs sensibly but we still carried a threat.”