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Club News

Cox: Players are feeling positive

30 January 2014

Club News

Cox: Players are feeling positive

30 January 2014

Manager Paul Cox says there is a positive atmosphere in the camp ahead of our long trip to Plymouth Argyle.

Our team are set to make the gruelling 266-mile trek to Plymouth tomorrow and stay overnight, ahead of Saturdayā€™s Sky Bet League Two fixture at Home Park.

Having lost only one of our last six matches ā€“ a 2-0 reverse to Scunthorpe United nearly three weeks ago ā€“ Cox is optimistic that we can continue our impressive recent form.

ā€œThe players now seem to be in a good place,ā€ said our boss.

ā€œNobody is getting carried away and weā€™re not singing from the rooftops, but even the neutrals would say we clearly deserved to win the game [against Wycombe Wanderers] with the amount of chances that we created.

ā€œOnce again we found a goalkeeper in inspired form, but Iā€™m getting tired of saying that. We just need to be a bit more ruthless in both boxes.ā€

Cox continued: ā€œI canā€™t ask any more from my players. Theyā€™re working hard and weā€™ve got something to build on now. Thereā€™s a good feeling amongst us and a positiveness within the camp.

ā€œWeā€™ve got some tough fixtures coming up, but when you look at this league only the top seven are really guaranteed to, at the least, be in this division next season.

ā€œSo I think thereā€™s going to be a lot of twists and turns and thereā€™s going to be a lot of anxiety from a lot of football clubs in this league, between now and the end of the season.

ā€œBut talking about us, weā€™re working hard, weā€™re looking very hard to beat and more than anything, weā€™re creating some good chances.

ā€œWhat we need to do now is just be more ruthless.ā€

Our teamā€™s momentum was hampered earlier this week when our scheduled match with Bury had to be postponed due to a waterlogged pitch at One Call Stadium.

Reflecting on the postponement, Cox said: ā€œIt was disappointing, but we canā€™t control the weather. Weā€™ve just get to get our heads round it and move on.

ā€œI think weā€™re picking up a bit of momentum. Weā€™ve had one defeat in six games and the boys did enough last Saturday to win two football matches, nevermind one.ā€

Elsewhere, Cox also revealed that he hasnā€™t had any phone calls in the past week from clubs enquiring about frontman Sam Clucas, who has scored 11 goals in 26 appearances this term.

He added: ā€œI havenā€™t one phone call, but there is still 24 hours [in the transfer window] to go.

ā€œSam is a very good player and a lovely kid as well. He comes in and works hard and Iā€™m sure at some point heā€™ll make the step up, but I think at this minute his learning curve is with us.ā€

Clucas could make his first start since in over six weeks in Saturdayā€™s match at Home Park, whilst team-mate Ben Hutchinson is also fit again after injury.

Paul Cox's full interview from today's press meeting will be available on Stags Player later today. To subscribe, click here.


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