Mansfield Town: Davis Keillor-Dunn's equaliser 'only spark' in Stags draw, says boss Nigel Clough

Nigel Clough was appointed Stags boss in November 2020

Mansfield Town manager Nigel Clough says Davis Keillor-Dunn's last-minute equaliser was his side's "only spark" in a disappointing draw at Colchester.

Keillor-Dunn's 90th-minute leveller rescued a point for Mansfield in a 1-1 draw and preserved their 10-game unbeaten start to the season.

The goal was the striker's seventh goal in eight league games this campaign.

"I'm not sure how we got the point - I don't think we deserved anything all day," said Stags boss Clough.

"I don't think we did anything that we've done in the first nine games, or anything nearly as good as we've been doing.

"In the first half we had an element of control in the game, without really hurting them."

Mansfield have had real injury struggles this season, with key players out for long periods, losing both Rhys Oates and Stephen Quinn for several months while Alfie Kilgour is out for the rest of the campaign.

Those troubles and the lacklustre performance prompted Clough to move defender Aden Flint forward in search of an equaliser.

"We had to change something and then after the hour mark we told them we'd put Flinty upfront," Clough told BBC Radio Nottingham.

"He's quite a big lad, you know, and he's quite noticeable.

"So when he goes to the other end of the pitch, you'd have thought that just the odd person in red might have noticed and put it on his head every now and again."

Mansfield remain unbeaten in all competitions this season and sit fifth in League Two.

"The only consolation of the whole day is to stay unbeaten and to get that point and to score such a brilliant goal as well," Clough said.