Nigel Clough admitted there were “a lot of tired legs” as his injury-ravaged Mansfield side had to be content with a point and a clean sheet in a goalless draw at home to Bradford.
Clear-cut chances were few and far between in a dour contest, with Davis Keillor-Dunn and Lucas Akins coming closest for the Stags.
“It was a good point, but I didn’t think much of the performance, especially in the first half,” Clough said.
“I thought we got going a bit in the second half, though we were nowhere near the levels we have been.
“But it has been a big week with two very tough games on Saturday and Tuesday, especially at Hillsborough. And we didn’t have much choice in having to play the same team again today.
“We are top seven, yet we had 11 players that couldn’t start today and another double whammy this week with injuries to Rhys Oates and Stephen Quinn.
“There were a lot of tired legs. The lads have given absolutely everything this week. You can’t doubt their commitment.
“Second half was a bit more like us and better finishing or a break in the penalty area and we might have nicked it 1-0.
“Bradford are very well organised, well drilled and very difficult to break down. We had to be at our best to do that, but we found it tough.
“We are never happy with a 0-0 at home but it’s nice to keep the unbeaten run going. And we have to put it into perspective in terms of what we have gone through this week.”
Bradford boss Mark Hughes said: “It was a game of few chances. I just felt if we had just quickened up our play at the top end of the pitch then we could have had a bit more joy than we had.
“It was a little bit flat for both teams today for whatever reason, but I never felt under any pressure.
“I don’t think they created anything of note and I don’t think we created too many clear-cut chances either. You get those games now and again – it wasn’t a great spectacle.
“We were in the ascendancy in terms of possession but you have to make use of that.
“It’s been a tough week. Mansfield is a difficult place to come and we’ve had six out of eight games away, so it’s been a big shift from everybody and maybe the edge was taken off our game.”
Messi 'will be our No.10 in 2026', hopes Inter Miami chief Mas
Inter Miami fully expect Lionel Messi to remain at the club beyond his current contract ahead of the 2026 MLS season.
Those were the words of Miami's club managing owner, Jorge Mas, who was speaking to the media following Gerardo Martino's resignation earlier on Friday.
Messi joined the MLS side in July 2023 on a two-and-a-half-year contract, leading the Herons to the Supporters' Shield and Leagues Cup during his time in the United States so far.
His current deal is due to expire at the end of next year, though Mas made clear his desire to see Messi remain with the Herons at Miami Freedom Park, the club's new stadium that will open in 2026.
"He’s under contract through 2025. Leo and I will sit, and we’ll discuss the future,” Mas said.
“As I’ve said before, and I will repeat it now: I fully expect that in the opening of our new stadium in 2026 in Miami and the opening of our 2026 season, hopefully after a trophy-laden 2025 season, that Lionel Messi will be our No. 10.”
Man United could be without Toone until new year, says Skinner
Marc Skinner revealed that Manchester United could be without midfielder Ella Toone until the new year after she picked up a calf injury in training.
Toone has featured in five games in the Women's Super League this season, but is yet to register a goal or an assist so far this term.
The 25-year-old has missed United's last two games and was not selected in Sarina Wiegman's England squad for their upcoming friendlies against the United States and Switzerland.
She had previously appeared in a staggering 96 straight matches before missing United's WSL showdown with Leicester City last weekend.
But ahead of the Red Devils' meeting with league leaders Chelsea on Sunday, Skinner confirmed they would be without Toone for not only that game, but for the foreseeable future.
"We have three games [after the international break and before Christmas]. There's always the hope, but I think you balance and you go, 'right, if we can get her back, we get her back'," Skinner said.
"But we're just not going to rush her in this moment because it's a calf injury, it's your running mechanism. If we injure the running mechanism, it takes longer.
"So ideally we'd like her back for those games afterwards.
"The projection is she misses this game [Chelsea], she misses the international window, probably misses the first game after that, and then we'll see from there.
"But because it is such a short block of only three games, we'll assess whether it's worth that or actually resetting to come back after Christmas."
Man United could be without Toone until Christmas, says Skinner
Marc Skinner revealed that Manchester United could be without midfielder Ella Toone until the new year after she picked up a calf injury in training.
Toone has featured in five games in the Women's Super League this season, but is yet to register a goal or an assist so far this term.
The 25-year-old has missed United's last two games and was not selected in Sarina Wiegman's England squad for their upcoming friendlies against the United States and Switzerland.
She had previously appeared in a staggering 96 straight matches before missing United's WSL showdown with Leicester City last weekend.
But ahead of the Red Devils' meeting with league leaders Chelsea on Sunday, Skinner confirmed they would be without Toone for not only that game, but for the foreseeable future.
"We have three games [after the international break and before Christmas]. There's always the hope, but I think you balance and you go, 'right, if we can get her back, we get her back'," Skinner said.
"But we're just not going to rush her in this moment because it's a calf injury, it's your running mechanism. If we injure the running mechanism, it takes longer.
"So ideally we'd like her back for those games afterwards.
"The projection is she misses this game [Chelsea], she misses the international window, probably misses the first game after that, and then we'll see from there.
"But because it is such a short block of only three games, we'll assess whether it's worth that or actually resetting to come back after Christmas."
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