Nigel Clough felt his Mansfield side “more than held our own” against Wanderers and were unlucky to lose out on penalties.

George Thomason’s moment of magic appeared to have put the Whites on course for victory, but Davis Keillor-Dunn got the visitors back on level terms eight minutes from time.

Clough says there was plenty of quality on show despite both sides making plenty of changes from the weekend.

“Very pleased with it from start to finish,” he said after the final whistle. “A different sort of shape, different personnel but the principles stayed the same.

“I thought we knocked it about well. We didn’t create as much as we would have liked, a lack of conviction in the final third in the first half.

“It is a cruel way to lose on penalties but I didn’t think we deserved to lose.”

Clough added: “I thought they all did well, it showed the strength of the squad. Bolton did similar, as we thought they would.

“It’s early in the season and you have two league games which are important, it is a good opportunity to give the squad a game.

“It shouldn’t result in a lack of quality, which I didn’t think it did in the game tonight.”

The Mansfield boss admitted Thomason’s goal was a special strike but felt his side could have done more in the build-up.

“I’m not too happy with the goal we conceded,” he added. “It was a brilliant finish in the end but we shouldn’t have given the free kick away, and then Lee Gregory should have cleared it.

“We got back into it and had a brilliant chance with Lee, it wouldn’t quite come down for him.

“Then we needed one of two penalties to win it, the opportunities were there throughout the evening but it didn’t quite go our way.”

“That is the most encouraging thing from tonight, we have gone to Barnsley and Bolton now.

“They weren’t quite at full strength, but neither were we, and I think we have more than held our own in both games and could have come away with two victories.”