Results only remedy for 'anger' of defeat - Clough

Nigel Clough has been in charge of Mansfield for just over five years

Nigel Clough says the anger he felt after Mansfield Town's defeat by Northampton has festered over the international break.

The Stags boss described the 2-1 defeat by the Cobblers as "extremely disturbing" in his post-match interview earlier this month.

And now, 10 days and an international break later, the 59-year-old says he has not been able to shake the feeling as he prepares his side to face Huddersfield.

"It's a long time to think about the game at Northampton. The defeat certainly has a bearing on how you go into the break," Clough told BBC Radio Nottingham.

"And it doesn't change. I feel as angry and upset now as I did 10 days ago. The only way to get that out of your system is by getting a good result on Saturday."

Clough was left exasperated by the chances his side wasted as they slumped to their first League One defeat in six games.

The Stags had taken the lead through Rhys Oates but conceded two second-half goals as Northampton fought back to end a three-match losing run.

With Mansfield now facing five teams inside the top 10 over their next five league games, Clough admits the Stags will not be able to easily forget the pain of that defeat.

"That is why it hurt us even more at Northampton - we should have won the game on the amount of possession and chances that we had - because the run is so difficult that we have coming up now," he added.

"When you are going to Wimbledon and going to Cardiff, and to Accrington in the cup, and also have Huddersfield, Bolton and Stockport, they will be big, big tests for us.

"And I think we will know a little bit more about ourselves, certainly after those games."

Mansfield are ninth in League One after 15 games, equal on points with 10th-placed Huddersfield who they host on Saturday (15:00 GMT).