Manager Paul Cox has described our performance in today’s 1-1 draw with Matlock Town as ‘dire’.
The Stags lacked fight, urgency and determination against a gritty and resolute Gladiators side, who squandered several chances to win the game and record what would have been a deserved cup shock.
“It was dire today,” said Cox, who was speaking directly after the game.
“I can’t tell what was wrong today, but from back to front we didn’t look good and it was a poor performance. It was a bad day at the office and it’s as simple as that.”
Skipper Adam Murray claimed his first goal in competitive action since April 2011 to fire us ahead on 25 minutes, before Lewis McMahon leveled before half-time.
And the Gladiators, who play in the Evo-Stik Premier League, almost won the game in the dying minutes of the second period, when John Thompson had to clear Brad Grayson’s goal bound effort off the line.
Cox continued: “The lads know they’ve let themselves, and the supporters, down today.
“All the good performances over the last two to three weeks mean nothing, because we let ourselves down and showed the same bad habits that we did earlier in the season.”
Our replay at Matlock’s Causeway Lane ground will take place on Tuesday 27 November (kick-off 7.45pm).
