Nigel Clough: Mansfield Town boss tells fans to direct boos at him, not players

Lucas Akins has scored four goals in 22 appearances for Mansfield Town this season

Manager Nigel Clough says any criticism Mansfield Town supporters may want to aim at his players should all be directed his way.

There were some boos when Lucas Akins came on against Colchester on Saturday, with the forward responding by scoring the injury-time winner a minute later.

The 33-year-old's goal was the 100th of his career and first since September.

"Direct boos at the technical area, that's not a problem at all, but don't direct it at players," Clough said.

"It's always counter productive because you want them to do well on the pitch because ultimately you want the team to do well.

"If the players are going onto the pitch with a few boos then that is certainly not going to help.

"If they don't agree with a substitution, that's fine - come to me and I have no problem at all with that."

'Major role'

Clough said he was delighted to see Akins make a match-winning impact off the bench after he replaced the in-form Will Swan, whose equaliser on Saturday took his tally to seven goals in 16 league games for the club.

Akins' goal was his first in 15 games in all competitions and earned the Stags maximum points to lift them into the League Two play-off places.

"It's just not been falling for him," Clough told BBC Radio Nottingham of Akins' recent goal drought.

"He plays a major role in the team that sometimes isn't particularly evident, his work-rate and everything.

"I think the players, as much as anything, were pleased he got the winner on Saturday."