Mansfield’s Nigel Clough ‘makes a request to the EFL to replay the Stockport game’ after refereeing errors in his side’s 2-1 defeat.
The 59 year old Stags boss hit out at controversy decisions in a game which saw own goals from both sides, Kyle Wootton for Mansfield’s opener, then Ryan Sweeney levelled for Stockport, before Jack Diamond’s 69th-minute header sealed the win for the visitors.
Clough however was reeling post-match, saying there was a potential foul in the build-up to Stockport’s equaliser, his side were a denied late penalty claim, and most notably, the referee blew for half time a minute early after indicating a minimum two added minutes.
Clough said this was a “grave error” and “grossly incompetent,” adding that Mansfield would formally request the EFL to replay the entire game.
The result sees Mansfield drop into the League one relegation zone amid a winless run of six games, sitting 21st with 23 points from 20 games played, Stockport meanwhile are 5th with 35 points from the amount played.
Interviewer: ‘Are you left perplexed by many of the decisions today?”
Clough: “Yeah, definitely. Well we were denied a minute of legitimate game time at end of the first half, where he made a grave error in blowing up one minute early.
“So we’re going ask the EFL if they’ll replay the game because anything can happen in a minute. For someone to be sent off you can score two goals.
“So to be denied 60 seconds of legitimate game time is extremely concerning.
“This isn’t opinion, this isn’t a, oh was it a foul, was it not a foul?
“This is blatant timekeeping, an obvious timekeeping which is a huge error.”
“We’ll ask the EFL if we can replay the game because anything can happen in a minute” 😳🗣️
Mansfield Town manager Nigel Clough believes their game against Stockport County should be replayed due to a missing minute ⛔️#MTFC | #StockportCounty
— eflpublished (@eflpublished) December 21, 2025
After being asked about whether the fans have patience for Mansfield’s poor run of results, Clough added: “There has to be because it’s blatant, it’s obvious for everybody to see when they are not giving free kicks like the one that led to the first goal, just generally.
“We don’t want anything in our favour, I have to stress that, we just want the correct decisions. I don’t feel as though we are getting those at the moment.”
He also said: “We didn’t deserve to finish up empty-handed.
“It is as harsh a result as we have had for a long time.
“Decisions again are defining the results of our games at the moment and unfortunately they have gone against us again.
“Frazer was fouled from behind in the build-up and the assistant was eight yards away from it and the referee was in a good position and neither of them gave it.
“It was a grave error from the referee to blow a minute early for half-time.
“That was legitimate game time in which you could score two goals or someone get sent off.
“Then late on Will has pushed the ball past a defender and been bundled over and I thought it was a very genuine shout for a penalty.”
Stockport manager Dave Challinor said: “It has not been a great place for us here playing against Mansfield and not been very fruitful over recent years.
“We’ve not had great results against them at home too, so it’s nice to win one.
“That is two gritty away performances in a row now.
“I thought we started the game really well and, until we conceded, had some good situations.
“We then conceded a poor goal. We have to defend better than that.
“But we reacted well to that as a team who have not had a good run of results and needed a bit of luck to get ourselves back in it.
“In the second half we had to dig in before a cross and a really good header from Jack wins us the game.
“We are in a good place, but we have a tough run of games coming up which is a moment we are going to have to get through.
“We need to put a run together that takes us into 2026 with everything to play for.”
Here’s how social media users reacted after Mansfield’s Nigel Clough ‘makes a request to the EFL to replay the Stockport game’ after refereeing errors…
@vale8283: Wouldn’t be asking for the game to be replayed if you’d won. Get over it, every team in every league will get a controversial decision go against them throughout a season. Deal with it.
@sgibbo1987: I notice how he didn’t mention that the board for the second half was 6 minutes yet they played over 9…
@Sufc_alex07: It is a minimum tbf he’s in the right mind to complain. Everyone knows the EFL officials are a fucking joke and I don’t know how they get paid a full wage each week.
@iBedless: It’s a problem. Numerous occasions we’ve had the ball in play for 1 or 2 minutes out of what should have been 5 or 6
@PHarrison29: Hang on this isn’t AI he actually said that 😂 what an absolute bell end he is
@joelmarriott06: It’s not very often I disagree with his post match interviews, and I think we can all agree the referee was tragic, but to suggest replaying the game is embarrassing for everyone that represents the club.
@m_cuss: It’s in the rules that it’s at the referee’s discretion. If he’d had won the game, this wouldn’t be a problem. You lost Nigel. Move on.
@qprnet: As weird as his old man.
@sam_jeffs: Cry me a fucking river. Nothing do with the fact they had 18 shots to our 9 but couldn’t hit a barn door to save their lives
@JoeByronbrfc: Everybody’s laughing but this is sadly the precedent the EFL have set now
@JimmyStevens88: Replay the game?? 😂😂 heads proper gone. It was 30 seconds early in the first half and then found 9 1/2 minutes from somewhere in the second. Proper slapped arse!!
@thisisjemtrying: The victim mentality is so boring now
@chris_eaton_: Clough loves to whinge, doesn’t he? Asking the EFL to replay a game because the ref decided to blow slightly early in added time. He gave you the minute back in the second half, you miserable git 😂
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