Mansfield boss Nigel Clough paid tribute to his troops as they were edged out 2-1 by high-flying Charlton in a very close battle.
Play-off hopefuls Charlton have now won seven and drawn one of their last nine and pipped Stags with a 74th-minute strike by Tyreece Campbell past Christy Pym on his near post.
Earlier a loose pass by Louis Reed had gifted Matty Godden a 22nd-minute opener before Spurs loanee Matty Craig rifled Mansfield level on 40 minutes.
“They are one of the top sides and we have more than gone toe to toe with them,” said Clough.
“We gave them a good old game. Those little moments just went against us.
“There was nothing wrong with the performance tonight for large parts against a very good team.
“It was an incredibly narrow defeat – there was nothing in the game whatsoever.
“We just made two errors that led to their two goals and that was the difference in the game.
“On Saturday we benefited from the opposition making a couple of errors and Charlton did from us tonight, especially the first goal.
“Trying to play a first-time ball back to the keeper was ridiculous. We don’t usually do those sort of things and it is incredibly frustrating.
“If anyone was going to win it it looked like it would be us and I don’t think Christy had a shot to save before the goal.
“But I am a bit disappointed with Pymy as it’s gone in on his near post.”
Reed’s poor back pass gifted Godden his 17th goal of the campaign.
But Mansfield were level when Baily Cargill’s cross was headed out to Craig, who smashed home a rising finish off the underside of the bar from 15 yards.
Josh Edwards had a shot blocked on the line before Campbell held off Stephen McLaughlin to zip a near-post finish past Pym.
Stags piled on late pressure, but Charlton held firm.
Boss Nathan Jones said: “That was a very hard-fought win with so many pleasing aspects.
“We showed character to come to a very difficult place to play – the crowd were up and Mansfield were really aggressive.
“Fair play to them, they came after us.
“We started quite well but we were not relentless enough and we let them back into it, though Mansfield deserve a lot of credit for that as they had a part to play.
“We allowed Mansfield to step onto us and they got a bit of momentum, which was our making.
“Second half I thought we were much better, got a great goal from Tyreece and then saw the game out really well.
“Any win at the minute is excellent and this is a tough, tough place to come.
“We never had real control in the game and Mansfield played their part in that.”
Luton boss Matt Bloomfield was lost for words after his side enjoyed a 90th-minute 1-0 victory against Coventry that kept their hopes of staying in the Championship alive.It looked like the Hatters were going to be held to a frustrating stalemate, as they had initially been playing against 10 men when Jay Dasilva was sent off on 12 minutes.Town midfielder Liam Walsh was also shown red midway throu...
Noel Hunt is excited for Reading’s last game of the Sky Bet League One season with the Royals remaining in the mix for a play-off place.Hunt’s team have lost only once in their last eight games on the road and they weathered a storm at the Memorial Stadium to eventually see off Bristol Rovers 2-0 and stay in the chase for the top six.Reading will try to leapfrog Leyton Orient in the ta...
Burnley boss Scott Parker never doubted his players would maintain their intensity despite promotion having already been achieved.The Clarets emphatically boosted their Sky Bet Championship title hopes by hammering QPR 5-0 in their penultimate match of the season.It moved them to the top of the table, three points ahead of Leeds, although the Yorkshire side, who are at home to Bristol City on Mond...
Darren Moore could not hide his pride at steering Port Vale back into League One following a 2-0 win over AFC Wimbledon.Two second-half goals from Jayden Stockley and Jaheim Headley sealed an immediate return to the third tier for the Vale Park outfit.As players and fans alike celebrated in the away end, Moore reflected on the achievement – and admitted his focus in this match was on gaining...
Richie Wellens felt the overall display from his Leyton Orient team was excellent in their 1-0 victory over Wycombe.Orient took another step towards the play-offs after Randell Williams’ second-half header proved the difference at Brisbane Road.It was Orient’s fifth successive win and they now travel to Huddersfield next Saturday knowing that, with their superior goal difference, they ...
Notts County all-but guaranteed their place in the League Two play-offs courtesy of a 3-1 victory at Harrogate.The Magpies ended their four-match winless run thanks to Conor Grant’s second-half brace, leaving them fifth in the table and six points clear of eighth-placed Colchester.County took the lead in the 33rd minute when George Abbott fired home after David McGoldrick’s initial eff...
Luton climbed out of the Championship bottom three for the first time since January thanks to Shandon Baptiste’s 90th-minute goal as they beat play-off chasing Coventry 1-0.The Hatters looked like they would go to West Brom next weekend with their destiny definitely out of their own hands, only for Baptiste, who had been on the field for just 11 minutes, to find the net and lift the roof off...
Leyton Orient remain on course for the Sky Bet League One play-offs after a 1-0 win which dented Wycombe’s hopes of automatic promotion.Randell Williams scored the only goal of the game and Orient’s victory, their fifth in succession, leaves them ahead of seventh-placed Reading on goal difference.Defeat for the Chairboys, though, has handed the initiative to Wrexham, who could seal the...
Doncaster clinched promotion to League One after goals from Rob Street and Billy Sharp secured a 2-1 win over 10-man Yorkshire rivals Bradford.In an incident-packed encounter in front of over 12,500 fans – the Eco-Power Stadium’s biggest crowd of the season – Doncaster hit the post through Jordan Gibson before on-loan Lincoln striker Street gave Rovers a 33rd-minute lead with his...
Reading’s hunt for a Sky Bet League One play-off spot will go to the final day of the season after the Royals beat Bristol Rovers 2-0 at the Memorial Stadium.Lewis Wing’s eighth league goal of the season after 67 minutes and Chem Campbell’s added-time effort leaves the Pirates staring at relegation after Noel Hunt’s side had to survive a first-half onslaught from the hosts....
- 1 Transfer news & rumours LIVE
- 2 Cole Palmer’s girlfriend Connie Grace dazzles in low-cut top and mini skirt
- 3 Man Utd & Man City join PSG in race for Akliouche
- 4 We always have a chance – Miron Muslic bullish as Plymouth boost survival hopes
- 5 Tottenham to compete with Man City for defender
- 6 Ten-man Falkirk beaten by Raith as late goals keep title race alive
- 7 Big Brother legend Chanelle Hayes flaunts weight loss in red bikini
- 8 Transfer news & rumours LIVE
- 9 Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola fumes over point claimed at 10-man Crystal Palace
- 10 Daily Laugh - Totttenham 1-2 N Forest