Mansfield manager Nigel Clough admitted he was disappointed his in-form side could not hold on for victory after they drew 2-2 at Colchester

Frank Nouble’s excellent 89th-minute equaliser denied the Stags an away win but they are now eight games unbeaten in Sky Bet League Two.

Clough said: “We’re disappointed not to have won after conceding an 89th-minute equaliser.

“I thought we played OK on a very difficult surface.

“We were in the lead twice but they scored their equaliser which flicked off the top of his (Frank Nouble’s) foot and flew into the far top corner, so there’s not much we can do about that.

“But I was very pleased with the performance. I thought we should have won the game.

“When you go ahead twice in a game, I think there’s always going to be disappointment if you don’t get the three points.

“We played well in the first 20 minutes and scored but then lost our way and didn’t play with enough intent.

“But I thought for the vast majority of the second half, it was us in the ascendancy.

“The pitch was very difficult for the players but I thought our second goal was excellent.”

Mansfield took a fourth-minute lead when Colchester defender Tommy Smith turned into his own net after the hosts had failed to deal with George Maris’ free-kick into the box.

But Colchester levelled six minutes before the break through Callum Harriott, who scored with a low shot from just inside the area following Miles Welch-Hayes’ lay-off.

Mansfield regained their lead with nine minutes remaining when James Perch converted Stephen Quinn’s pass from close range.

However, Colchester rescued a point after substitute Aramide Oteh found Nouble, who slammed a superb shot into the far corner from a tight angle.

Colchester boss Steve Ball said: “It was a fantastic goal from Frank.

“It was good play and a great assist from Reme (Oteh) and from Ryan Clampin who played a part in it, so the subs did a really good job there.

“It was a top drawer finish and that’s why we brought Frank back for moments of magic like that – it was just a shame it wasn’t the winner.

“It was a shame we conceded the goals that we did but it’s a really good sign of our character in the group for us to come back.

“I thought if there was any team that was going to win it after Frank’s equaliser it was us and we were in the ascendancy in the last four or five minutes.

“There were goalmouth scrambles and we might have nicked it but it was a really good show of character to come back and get a point.”