Before Saturday’s 2-1 loss at Walsall, where they did more than enough to take three points but missed opportunities and gave up two goals from set pieces, Stags scored 13 goals in two games, giving Clough’s team no chance to pass leaders Stockport County at the top.
Clough stated, “We have to maintain our composure, keep our heads up, and not give goals away like we did on Saturday.”
“We are unable to pay that. Even though we are playing well and scoring goals, there will be occasions, like this Saturday, when we only manage one, and it must be sufficient to win for us.
“Otherwise we just need to keep doing what we’ve been doing for the previous 32 games – that’s the good thing. We don’t have to do anything different.
“We’ve played this way for six months and got the results we have got.
“It’s just a case of keeping on going and not conceding soft goals, which cost us the game at Walsall.
Teams find it extremely challenging to alter their formation for a period of five or six months if necessary. We’re not obliged to. We will be alright if we maintain our current level of play and win the same proportion of games.
There is a good case to be made that we ought to have taken something away from each of the four league games in which we have only lost by the odd goal. So far this season, nobody has given us the runaround. In every game, we have played with fierce competition.
“Salford are in excellent form, and being at home, I’m sure everyone will be a little nervous with the situation we are in,” he continued. We need to move past that, and that’s where our players’ personalities come into play.
We hope that our group’s good, seasoned players who have faced similar circumstances in the past will be crucial.
Now, it’s not about being fit. There’s nothing more we can do for most players who have been on the pitch for five or six months. It all comes down to maintaining their mental and physical youth.
The perennial underachievers that are visiting on Saturday seem to have left their play-off push too late, but they are suddenly on a roll.
They defeated high-flying Barrow 5-3 last weekend, and they have now gone eight games without a loss with four wins and four draws.
With 13 games remaining, they are in 19th place, nine points out of the playoffs.
At the beginning of the year, Karl Robinson succeeded Neil Wood as manager, and Clough stated: “Since Karl has gone in, their form has picked up incredibly.”
They are moving forward under his direction, creating opportunities and scoring goals.
When you come back from a 2-1 deficit at home against a defensively sound team like Barrow to win 5-3, it speaks volumes about your current state of play.
“In this league, it’s frequently determined by what stage of the season a team plays, and right now, it seems like we’re drafting players who are performing well.
“Salford used to be very possession-based, and they still are—I hate to say it—direct, but they play forward more and create opportunities. They are using the talented forward players they have.
“Karl will always want to score as many points as possible because your season is never ending.
“I believe that they will primarily focus on the upcoming season, but a team like Salford with their offensive options shouldn’t be written off.”
This Saturday, Stags supporters will once more be permitted to enter the North Stand, as Salford City has a small away crowd scheduled.
There are 577 home tickets available in blocks A and B of the North Stand.
One Call Stadium has seen an average attendance of 7,356 people this season, which is the result of a notable increase in home attendance that preceded the move.
As part of its goals to maintain revenue growth and maximise support as the Stags pursue promotion, the club is working to maximise One Call Stadium’s capacity for Stags fans.
