Clough calls out his own players after 'incredibly soft' penalty decision against Cobblers
Mansfield manager Nigel Clough branded the decision to award Cobblers a second half penalty during Saturday’s 2-1 defeat as ‘incredibly soft’ – but he also admitted his side only had themselves to blame for throwing away a half-time lead.
The visitors took a one-goal advantage into half-time thanks to Rhys Oates’ sweet finish, but they were ultimately beaten by Tom Eaves’ 74th-minute penalty after referee Elliot Bell pointed to the spot for a trip on Ethan Wheatley.
"Lucas (Akins) gives the ball away for their second goal,” said Clough. “He tries to dribble around three or four people but loses it and then Deji (Oshilaja), a 32-year-old experienced defender, dangles a leg out and gives the referee a decision to make.
"It’s an incredibly soft penalty but he gives the referee that opportunity. I think that’s now six or seven penalties we’ve given away through poor decisions and poor tackles. Whether they are penalties or not is irrelevant, don’t give the referee the chance to make it. The referee didn’t give us anything all game so why would you do that as an experienced defender? I just don’t understand.”
Clough was also somewhat aggrieved by Bell’s failure to give his side a free-kick shortly before Jack Perkins equalised eight minutes into the second half.
"We were very good for the first five minutes of the second half and we had numerous situations to kill the game but didn’t do it and then I thought it was a foul on George Maris leading up to their first goal,” Clough added. “He goes into a challenge and I think it’s a foul but the referee missed it.
“We were down to 10 men because he had to go off, the ball dropped to Rhys (Oates) in the middle of the pitch and he realised we were down to 10 men so he smashed the ball in the corner. That meant we could get George back on but we lost it again and they went and scored. We’ve killed ourselves today.”
Clough also gave an update on Tyler Roberts after the ex-Cobblers loanee came off with injury in the first half, adding: “It’s his calf. I’m not sure how serious it is but it’ll probably be a few weeks and that’s a big blow. Losing him disrupted us. George (Maris) came on but he didn’t have the same impact as Tyler.”