Stags’ boss Adam Murray says his side need to start punishing their opposition after falling to a 1-0 defeat at home to Grimsby Town this afternoon.
Grimsby striker Omar Bogle converted a 17th-minute penalty to secure the points for the Mariners, despite Stags dominating much of the game.
And speaking after the match, manager Murray said his side need to make the most of their possession after having 13 shots and ten corners against the Lincolnshire side.
“At the minute when we’re on top of games, we’re not ruthless enough. They’ve had one opportunity, took it, and won the game. We’re getting in fantastic positions, at times, and let teams off the hook,” Murray said.
“The league’s ruthless, if you do that you get punished so [it’s] a disappointing day today, very disappointing and I know how much these games mean to people and how much they mean to the supporters and I’m sorry that we couldn’t put the points on the board for them today.
"I’m distraught at this moment in time because if they dominated us and ran the game, you hold your hands up to the better team but we’re letting teams of the hook at the minute."
The 34-year-old revealed that he had no complaints with the award of the penalty and he wants his side to improve their anticipation after seeing his side react slower than the Mariners in certain situations.
“We’ve got to anticipate better; the amount of balls that fall in the box and we’re a yard off it, or half a yard off it, the anticipation’s not good enough.
“In general play, I never felt like we looked uncomfortable. We’ve played a lot of good football this season, today we went forward a little bit quicker to make them defend and you have to take opportunities when they arise.
“That’s the bit that needs to change, whether that’s personnel [or] whether it’s a different thought-process in the final third.
“At times we were playing with four ‘up there’ today and it’s not as if we’re not getting in the positions. If we weren’t getting in the positions then I really would be worried but the final cross, the final ball, the anticipation of the second ball, we’re half asleep at the minute and we need to address that.”
Midfielder Chris Clements made his return to action after missing the last five games with a hamstring injury and Murray said the former Hednesford man gave the Stags some much-need guile in midfield.
“He’ll get the ball, he’ll give it away, he’ll go get it again. He’ll get it, he’ll try something, he’ll give it away, he’ll go and get it again and he gave us a bit of rhythm, so to have him back is fantastic. You need your big players back but at the same time, we’ve got some big players in there.”
Supporters can now watch Adam Murray’s post-match interview on Stags PlayerHD.
