Mansfield boss Nigel Clough was content to turn a winning streak of five games into an unbeaten run of six after a 1-1 draw in what he described as dangerous conditions by the end of the game at Walsall

Both bosses agreed to bring the kick-off forward 15 minutes and forego stoppage time to minimise the risk of injury in freezing temperatures in the West Midlands.

Each side was desperate to play after 17 days without a game, although the draw helped neither in their play-off aspirations.

On-loan Lincoln left-back Max Melbourne steered home Tyreik Wright’s free-kick to put Walsall ahead on his debut but Jordan Bowery set up Ollie Clarke to level.

Mansfield had the better chances to win it as Walsall keeper Liam Roberts twice thwarted Bowery but honours finished even as both sides registered a league-high 12th draw.

Clough said: “It is a very good point considering the conditions. It was very difficult for both teams to play and chances were at a premium. They were always going to be.

“It was all about not making mistakes. We conceded a sloppy goal from a free-kick but I thought the quality of our equaliser was the stand-out bit of play throughout the match.

“The players were saying how difficult it was and that’s why the two managers decided on no added time. It was getting more dangerous by the minute.

“Over the course of the game we deserved a point and with the stand-out chance of the second half we could have even nicked it.

“We would have liked to continue the winning streak but we take satisfaction from staying unbeaten considering the conditions.

“We wish we could have kept playing last month, to have four consecutive games postponed has been hugely frustrating.”

Clough’s counterpart Darrell Clarke rued the stray pass from young midfielder Alfie Bates that led to the visitors’ equaliser.

He said: “It was never going to be a great game – they were awful playing conditions. It was getting very dangerous towards the end there.

“We started really well on the front foot, getting in their area, getting set-pieces and then we get the goal with great work from a set-piece.

“And then my biggest frustration after that is that their goal is from our mistake. It was always going to be a night where whoever won it was going to be the team with the least amount of errors.

“But at the end of the day it’s a point – a point against a team that’s won their last five and were in really good form, got big-name players, high expectations.

“There are 20 games to go, plenty of points to go for and we will keep chipping away and working on the players and working hard on the training ground.”