Mansfield boss Nigel Clough was encouraged by his side’s improved second-half showing in the 0-0 home draw against Exeter in League One.
The Stags have now drawn four games in a row but, despite going off the boil after five wins in succession, it is still nine matches unbeaten in all competitions.
“We should have won that. I thought it was a pretty even game between two honest sides,” said Clough.
“We are nine unbeaten but know we are not playing anywhere near as fluently as we can.
“But it is another clean sheet here – that’s four on the spin now which is encouraging.
“We want to get back to winning. But if you can’t win then don’t lose. This time last year we were losing these games.
“For the first 35 minutes they were superior to us and had a few efforts and half chances.
“But I was very encouraged by our second-half display.
“We were somewhere back near to where we were a few weeks ago and played with a bit more fluency.
“I thought if anyone was going to win it second half then we were.”
Exeter’s Sunderland loanee Timur Tutierov caused early problems on his full debut.
But Will Evans should have put Stags ahead when, with only the keeper to beat from 16 yards, he allowed Joe Whitworth to get down and make a crucial save.
Exeter boss Gary Caldwell said: “It was a good point. After last week’s result I thought that was a brilliant reaction and our intensity was back.
“I thought first half some of our football was superb. Our diamond was causing them so many problems.
“But that football has to turn into goals to win games.
“We didn’t score when we were on top.
“They were always going to come back into the game and second half it was more of a 50-50 game.
“Both teams had moments, but in the end it was probably a fair result.
“When you are on top as much as we were in the game you have to score as we know Mansfield are a very good team who are always going to have their moments.
“They did second half and the game became a bit too end-to-end for our liking.
“I thought it was an energy-sapping pitch. Whenever you come to Mansfield it is always tough.
“But on a day like this, with the pitch the way it was, it made it even tougher. So we’re delighted with a point.”
