Mansfield boss Clough wants rule change after injury blow

Nigel Clough called for a change in the substitution rules after Mansfield had three players injured in their 1-1 draw at Bradford.

Louis Reed, Rhys Oates and Callum Johnson were all forced off in the first 36 minutes at Valley Parade.

Centre-half Alfie Kilgour headed a stoppage-time equaliser to reward Mansfield’s fightback. But manager Clough was concerned about the current rules and he also made a double change at the break.

He said: “In 20-odd years, I don’t think we’ve lost five players in the first half in the course of the season. To lose five in two games in the first 30 or so minutes is incredible.

“You have no other opportunity to make substitutions, other than at half-time. The rule has to change – it doesn’t allow for circumstances like that.

“It’s nobody’s fault that they are injured. We just need that flexibility in the second half.

“Somebody can break their leg and we wouldn’t be able to bring a sub on.”

Mansfield fell behind when former Stags striker Cook, starting his first game since Boxing Day, headed Bradford in front from Adam Clayton’s corner. It was his 17th goal of the season.

Scott Flinders denied him another with a good save – matched by Harry Lewis at the other end to deny Davis Keillor-Dunn.

Tolaji Bola cleared off the line from Keillor-Dunn’s free-kick and Kilgour hit the bar before he buried a diving header from Elliott Hewitt’s cross to peg back Bradford late on.

Clough added: “We deserved the equaliser before then. But amidst all that, Scott Flinders made a wonderful save – if that goes in, it’s game over.

“Christy Pym wasn’t quite right today with his dislocated finger. But the value of having such a trustworthy second choice is incredible.”

Bradford manager Mark Hughes was frustrated to see his side lose the lead so late in the game.

He said: “It’s hard on our guys. I thought we put in a decent performance and there was a lot of energy expended.

“If we get the second goal, it was game over but it wasn’t to be.

“Second half they had any number of shots from outside the box but didn’t really trouble us too much. Harry made a couple of saves but we went a bit quiet on the chance they had at the end.

“You saw the reaction when they got the late equaliser. You’d have thought they won the FA Cup.

“It’s game management to stop things at source and see the game out. That was disappointing.

“The lad has produced a good ball to the far post and credit to him. It’s a game we should have won but we’ll go again.”