Stags’ midfielder Mitch Rose believes the hard work and dedication he and his team-mates have shown over the past week was paramount to their 4-0 hammering of Crawley Town on Saturday.
Rose scored the Stags’ second goal of the afternoon two minutes into the second half after shooting low through a crowd of players from a half-cleared corner and the combative midfielder admitted that he’d prefer to take the plaudits as a team rather than as an individual.
“Today’s not about my individual goal, the team performance epitomises the hard work we have put in from the first day of pre-season,” he said.
“It was only a matter of time before we got our first home win and it was good for me to help the team with a goal as well.
“We’ve been a little bit unfortunate over the recent weeks, but I’m just delighted for the team today getting into the play-off positions and I’m even more delighted to get off the mark myself.”
After drawing all of their three opening home games, Rose was adamant that today’s result was no fluke, putting the victory down to their ability to enhance on their previous displays.
Rose stated: “We spoke last week and said that preparation doesn’t start on a Saturday; it begins on a Monday and continues right through to today.
Rose stated: “We spoke last week and said that preparation doesn’t start on a Saturday; it begins on a Monday and continues right through to today.
“Our focus has been immense, the discipline, the character and just how hard we’ve been working in training shows that today didn’t just happen by chance, it epitomises the work from day one when we first came in until the final whistle.”
“We had a different type of focus coming into the game today. We had the feeling today was going to be the day we were going to get our first home win.”
After becoming an integral part of the Mansfield midfield having started all seven of their league games this term, Rose has been learning from a few of his more experienced team-mates when it comes to improving his own game and now he’s ready to reap the rewards of his hard work.
Rose continued: “We have so many new additions to the squad and we’ve gelled so much together and I’m so grateful that each day these players are pushing me to my absolute maximum.
“The manager highlighted some things when I came off the pitch last week, and today I had to listen and put those things right.
“I’m still only 21, I can learn off the older players like Chris Clements, Jamie McGuire, Adam Chapman and even Jack Thomas as a young pro is pushing me every day. I’m relishing the opportunity to play games and being around a great bunch of lads.”
