Mansfield Town manager Nigel Clough was full of praise for promotion-rivals MK Dons following their 2-1 defeat at the One Call Stadium last night.
The league leaders had the opportunity to open up a six point gap on nearest challengers Stockport County, and looked to be on course when they took an early lead through Stephen Quinn. However, the Dons hit back quickly when Alex Gibley capitalised on a loose ball before Matt Dennis guided home from the outside of the box in the 54th minute.
Mansfield were unable to find a route back into the game and they remain three points clear as a result. Stockport do possess a game in hand, although there is now an opportunity for the teams below them to enter the title picture.
The win for Mike Williamson’s side saw them remain in fifth, although they are now just five points off the top of the table. It was just the tonic for the Buckinghamshire club, who succumbed to a late defeat against bitter rivals AFC Wimbledon at the weekend.
A win against the pacesetters was the perfect way to bounce back and keeps them firmly within the play-off places. Afterwards, Stags manager Nigel Clough was full of praise for his opponents, claiming they are ‘probably the best footballing side in the league.’ Via MK Citizen, the 57-year-old said:
“They’re probably the best footballing side in the league. The four central midfielders that they have, technically are as good as anyone in the league so you have to get around them. You can’t stop them for 95 minutes, it’s very difficult because they’re so good.
“I think we did (enough to get something from the game). I think a draw probably would’ve been a fair result.
“We just didn’t do enough in the final third. You do need a break. One might hit somebody on the backside and go in or something like that. We’ve scored 14 goals in our last two home games and it’s as though we used up any good fortune in those two games.
“We hit the target with three or four opportunities at the end. You just want one to ricochet in off someone or drop to somebody in open space and it didn’t quite happen.”
MK Dons have played more games than all of the teams around them, but can keep the pressure on when they entertain Salford City on Saturday afternoon.
Writer’s View
MK Dons relegation from League One last season was a relative shock, so it’s no surprise to see them challenging at the top end of the table this season. An immediate return to the third tier is on the cards and they will be considered one of the favourites should they have to deal with the lottery of a play-off.
They have two fixtures coming up which they will be expected to win before a potentially season-defining trio of games against Crewe Alexandra, Notts County and Walsall later this month.
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