Nigel Clough warned his Mansfield players they are not out of trouble just yet after they took a major step towards safety with a 1-0 win at Stevenage

Ryan Sweeney’s scrappy first-half strike was all that separated the sides at the Lamex Stadium as The Stags hauled themselves to 49 points in the League Two table – 11 clear of the drop.

The result marked Mansfield’s first victory since March 9 but Clough insists the hard work isn’t over yet with four games left in the season.

The former Burton Albion boss, 55, said: “It just eases the pressure on the last few, but we’re not mathematically safe.

“So until that happens, we keep going. Even when we do get to that point, we still keep going and try to win the games.

“The fact we haven’t won for so long, and then to get this one today with five games to go – and a clean sheet and three points – [means we are] very close to that 50-point mark now.

“It was the old game of two halves in some ways – I thought we were very positive in the first half, closed them down and nicked the ball numerous times just outside their penalty area, but didn’t quite have the quality to make the most of those situations.

“It was nice to score from a set play and then we looked after the lead relatively well after that.

“We needed a break in the box and we got one and then we made them work for every single opportunity and half-chance they had.”

Clough’s players came into the lunchtime clash off the back of a barren run but finally returned to winning ways thanks to Sweeney’s 24th-minute effort.

A frantic scramble ensued in the Stevenage box and it was the Irish defender, 23, who pounced the quickest as he stabbed home to fire the visitors into the lead.

Alex Revell’s hosts rallied throughout the second period but were unable to restore parity as they slumped to their second consecutive defeat.

The Stevenage boss rued his side’s missed opportunities and is calling on a rapid improvement ahead of the visit of Cheltenham Town on Tuesday.

The 37-year-old said: “They had one chance from a set-piece and they scored it, and then after that, the second half we dominated completely.

“Missed chances cost the game and goals against you that are really poor cost you games, so we’ve got to look at that and learn quickly.

“We had moments where we should have slid people through and we didn’t quite make it, whereas in recent weeks they’ve been going through and we’ve been taking our chances.

“It was nowhere near good enough first half and then second half we came out and showed how we want to play – but with nowhere near enough desire and movement.”