Mansfield boss felt his side had the better chances in 0-0 draw at Charlton Athletic

Mansfield Town manager Nigel Clough felt his side had the better opportunities to score in Saturday’s 0-0 draw at Charlton Athletic.

Lucas Akins and Elliott Hewitt produced two poor finishes from close range – one in each half – as the Stags took a point away from The Valley.

“It’s a brilliant point,” said Clough. “To stop the run of five defeats, as undeserved as that run was, it had to stop.

“There are steps in between to winning games and a clean sheet on the road and a point is a first step.

“I think so (that his side had the better chances), just about. In the first half we had situations. Lukas (Akins) had a good chance. He takes a touch and has a little more time and, in the second half.

“The pick of the chances fell to Elliott Hewitt when the cross came in from Aaron Lewis and he couldn’t quite get his feet sorted out or any control on the effort. He said it was coming awkwardly and he didn’t know what to do, whether to take it on his left or his right. In the end he has done neither and put it over the bar!

“If we had nicked a goal then we’d have probably seen it through.

“I don’t think Christy (Pym) has had a serious shot to save. They stepped it up second half and put a few more balls in the box and a couple of skimishes lifted them but then when Oatesy came on we were always a threat on the break.

“We brought Flinty on (Aden Flint) to see it out when they put more balls through the middle in the last five minutes.

“We haven’t had too many clean sheets but Christy deserved one today. We defended well, right from the front. It gives us a foundation to build on. It was important to get anything today. A 0-0 is better than a 2-2 today – to get that clean sheet and the confidence it gives to the back five.”

PICTURE: KYLE ANDREWS