Mansfield Town

Manager Adam Murray wants our players to deliver a response to today’s defeat to Bury when they entertain AFC Wimbledon at One Call Stadium in midweek.

Our team, who had previously not lost in five home games, delivered a performance below their usually high standards and were consigned to defeat after a goal by Nathan Cameron.

The Stags’ chances in the game were sparse and Murray admitted in his post-match interview that our players’ performance needs improvement.

Reflecting on the game, our boss said: “It was disappointing, very disappointing. I’ll accept bad football decisions, I’ll accept that people have off days, but what I won’t accept is a lack of application and desire. 

“The majority of the players today went through the motions and it wasn’t good enough.”

He continued: “I don’t know if a little bit of complacency has set in with a few of them. We’ve spoken about it all week. The job isn’t done yet and it looked today like certain people wanted to stroll around and not go that extra yard for the football club and that won’t happen whilst I’m in charge.

“If we’d been outplayed and it was three of four-nil, then you hold your hands up and say that the better team has beaten us, but I think on the day we gave them the game.

“It was a poor goal [to concede] and then when we did have possession of the ball, we didn’t make it count. Without the ball, we didn’t want to run. It was an awful game and the goal summed it up, but they’re the games that the good teams grind out. 

“It’s disappointing and frustrating, and it’s hurt me because I think for majority of the time that I’ve been in charge, the team has given everything for me and for the club, and today I don’t think that hunger was there.

“Even though at the minute I’m hurting and I’m frustrated, the facts of the matter are that for large periods of these last few months, the lads have been superb. We have to pick ourselves up now and go again on Tuesday.”

Murray has now called for our players to deliver a reaction to today’s lacklustre display when they entertain AFC Wimbledon at One Call Stadium in three days time.

“I’m pleased [that there is a game coming up soon] and these players should be pleased because the last thing they want is a week with me at the minute,” said our gaffer.

“It needs to be put right on Tuesday and it's back on their toes again because I want a reaction. The fans deserve a reaction after that and if I was paying to watch people not want to run around then I’d be angry and rightly so.”