Mansfield Town boss Nigel Clough says his side need to catch “a break” after seeing his side lose to the only goal of the game for the third match in a row.
The Stags looked good for a well-earned point at League One leaders Wycombe, only for Luke Leahy’s cross-shot to loop in over goalkeeper Christy Pym in the 93rd minute.
It sealed the Chairboys’ 10th win in a row, and eighth in succession in the league, as they stayed four points clear of Wrexham.
Clough described Wycombe’s winner as “a fluke” and said the dressing room was “devastated” at full-time.
“It’s not just losing, it’s the manner [of it],” Clough told BBC Radio Nottingham.
“To come up with a fluke in the 93rd minute when we worked as hard as we did and played as well as we did is unbelievable.”
Defeat left the Stags in 10th place, three points off the top six with games in hand on the sides around them and two in hand on Barnsley, currently in the last play-off place.
But after narrow losses to Wrexham, Bristol Rovers and now Wycombe, Clough says the disappointments have been hard to take.
“Three 1-0 defeats, three good performances against three good sides and we could have won all three,” he said.
“It’s cruel. If someone rips you to pieces and puts one in the top corner, you hold your hands up, but concede a fluke like that [against Wycombe] and there’s nothing you can do about it.
“Three games – it doesn’t half get to you, but we must keep doing what we’re good at.”
Clough is adamant, though, that things will change if his side continues to play well.
“It has to, we will keep emphasising that to them,” he said.
“We’ve come to the league leaders and played like that. We played Wrexham off the park at times.
“Football can kick you where it hurts. We just need a break. End of story. Yes, a little bit of quality at times, but more than anything a break and a fair run of the ball.”