Mansfield Town manager Nigel Clough has told Owen Dodgson he must use the remainder of the season to make amends after the loanee was sent off just two minutes into his second-half appearance in Saturday's goalless draw with Huddersfield Town.

A long walk off

Dodgson came on at half-time but was dismissed almost immediately for a late lunging tackle on Derensili Sanches Fernandes. Clough did not hold back in his assessment, describing it as a "rash moment and misjudgement" that left the 23-year-old defender with plenty to reflect on.

"It's not nice, you've let everybody down and he knows that," Clough told BBC Radio Nottingham. "There were 9,000 people there, so when you are walking off, and he had a long walk, there will be an awful lot of things going through his head."

Clough made it plain where the immediate hurt lies. "The immediate thing, I think, is he's let people down, especially his team-mates," he said. "Hopefully he'll make up for that in the next eight months."

Out of character, says Clough

The Mansfield boss was at pains to stress the incident does not reflect the player's broader conduct. Dodgson arrived at One Call Stadium in August on a season-long loan from Stockport County and had made five appearances for the Stags before Saturday.

"He's been so keen and eager to impress," Clough added. "He's a youngish player and it was born out of that, because we haven't seen any sort of nastiness or that side of him, and haven't done over the seasons we've watched him."

Clough's reading, then, is one of misplaced enthusiasm rather than malice: a young defender desperate to stamp his authority on the game, catching the moment badly wrong.

The cost to Mansfield

Playing the final 43-plus minutes of a League One fixture with ten men is rarely without consequence, and the draw means Mansfield dropped two points they had been in a position to take. The Stags needed all eleven to press their case against a Huddersfield side they had troubled in the first half.

A suspension will now follow for Dodgson, ruling him out of upcoming League One fixtures at a time when Mansfield's squad depth will be tested. Clough will need alternatives in the defensive wide areas while the ban runs its course.

Redemption over eight months

Clough's message to Dodgson was ultimately one of trust in the player's character. He urged the defender to channel the embarrassment of the red card into a run of consistent performances that remind supporters and team-mates of what he can contribute.

For a loanee still establishing himself in the third tier, the incentive is obvious: impress at Mansfield this season and prove to Stockport, and any other potential suitors, that Saturday was an aberration rather than a habit.

The Stags will be hoping Dodgson takes that message on board quickly. Clough has already made clear he believes in the player. The rest is up to the 23-year-old.

Frequently asked

Why was Owen Dodgson sent off against Huddersfield?
Dodgson was dismissed for a late lunging tackle on Derensili Sanches Fernandes, just two minutes after coming on as a half-time substitute in Mansfield's 0-0 draw with Huddersfield Town.
Who is Owen Dodgson on loan from at Mansfield?
Owen Dodgson joined Mansfield Town on a season-long loan from Stockport County in August, and had made five appearances for the Stags before his red card against Huddersfield.
What did Nigel Clough say about Dodgson's red card?
Clough described the tackle as a 'rash moment and misjudgement', said Dodgson had 'let everybody down', but also stressed it was out of character and urged the defender to make amends over the rest of the season.