Nigel Clough just told matchwinner Rhys Oates ‘don’t get sent off’

Nigel Clough had some light-hearted pre-match advice for Mansfield matchwinner Rhys Oates ahead of his starring role at Bolton.

Oates achieved redemption for his sending off against the same opponents earlier in the month as his goal secured a 1-0 win in League One.

Oates was sent off after 13 minutes in the reverse fixture on December 9 and had already exceeded his manager’s instructions before netting what proved to be the winner in the 43rd minute.

“The only words of inspiration we gave him before the game was ‘don’t get sent off’,” said Clough after Town’s first victory at the Community Stadium.

“’Try and stay on the pitch longer than 10 minutes’. Even though the sending off was unlucky, you do feel you have let people down.

“That (goal) will go some way towards easing that feeling for him. And I don’t think he deserved to be sent off in that first game.”

Bolton had won 10 corners, with Liam Roberts saving from Sam Dalby and Josh Sheehan, before Oates scored his fifth goal of the season from Mansfield’s first corner.

Max Conway saw another effort saved by Roberts in the second half and was denied a potential late penalty under challenge from Will Evans.

Mansfield hung on to end Bolton’s 17-game unbeaten home run in all competitions and add to their Boxing Day success at Barnsley.

“If (Mansfield) have had two better results over Christmas than this in the history of the club I would like to know about it,” said Clough.

“But if anyone had said we would win at Barnsley and Bolton I would have thought they were daft. I couldn’t see it coming.

“They were moaning about the penalty, I don’t know if it was or not but Will said he (Conway) ran into him.”

Wanderers’ manager Steven Schumacher said: “It was definitely a penalty. Max dribbled past the lad, switched the ball on to his right foot, the lad took a swing at the ball and took him out.

“The referee said he didn’t see there was contact. I think the referee had a good view and got it wrong.”

Schumacher added: “We are gutted to lose the unbeaten home record. It is something we have been proud of.

“So, to lose it in that manner is frustrating. We did loads of good things apart from where it mattered. We haven’t scored and were soft again in our boxes.

“By not getting ourselves ahead you are always vulnerable. From their first corner, on the stroke of half-time, it is a mistake and a soft goal.”