Mansfield Town

Defender Ryan Tafazolli and match-winner Junior Brown were pleased that our team’s home form was able to continue as they defeated Dagenham & Redbridge 2-1 in today’s Sky Bet League Two match at One Call Stadium.

Winger Reggie Lambe opened the scoring early in the second half before the visitors equalised through Jamie Cureton. Brown then fired home a thunderous strike in the closing stages which saw us take all three points.

After picking up 10 points from the last four games at One Call Stadium, Tafazolli said: “We feel we can beat anyone at home and we’re now trying to take this into our away games and get the points on the road as well.

Commenting on our team’s defensive display, he continued: “As a defensive unit we will identify what went wrong for their goal. We knew that Jamie Cureton comes alive in the box and that’s what he did. He didn’t do much for large periods of the game but popped up for the goal.”

Meanwhile, Brown wasn’t prepared to take all of the credit for his match-winning goal: “It was a nice strike, but I have to give credit to Billy Kee. He has come on and done fantastic. The assist he has given me was inch perfect and made by job a lot easier.

“It was great awareness from him and selfless. That is what we need at this moment if we want to get these vital wins.

“To be honest, I just wanted to make sure I got good contact on it. I had my fingers crossed that it got through the bodies and it did. It has got us a vital three points, which is the main thing,” he added.

Brown made it clear that he would like to find the back of the net more during the rest of the season. He continued: “I’m frustrated personally not getting enough goals but I’m hoping I can get a few more in the coming weeks and help secure survival.”

Commenting on the game itself, Brown was proud of his team-mates who stood up to the challenge ahead of them: “With the situation they were in as well it was a nervous and tentative game but we stuck at it. We came in at half time at 0-0, which is always a positive. 

"We went out in the second half and were more aggressive and assertive. We took the lead and it was disappointing to concede in the way we did. But we stayed focussed, showed mental resolve and got our rewards.

“At this moment in time it isn’t about an individual. It is about everyone. We are all digging in and we are focussed at the job at hand.”

Looking forward to the trip to South Wales to play Newport County on Tuesday, Brown said: “We have been fantastic at home and going into Tuesday we have to take that mentality with us. The lads are all focussed on the task at hand and I’m pretty sure we will go there with the same confidence and attitude.”