Stags' frontman Kane Hemmings believes he is beginning to find his feet in front of goal after netting his third effort of the season in this afternoon's 1-0 win over Stevenage at One Call Stadium.
The match-winning goal came in the 23rd minute when he rolled the ball into an empty net from close range after Stevenage 'keeper Joe Fryer had completely missed the ball when trying to claim a cross.
The on-loan Oxford United striker didn't find the net in his first eight Stags' matches, but has since scored three goals in five league games and Hemmings believes his renewed confidence in front of goal is partly down to the faith shown in him by manager Steve Evans.
"I'm doing the same things; just getting in the right place at the right time, sometimes it'll fall for you, sometimes it doesn't," Hemmings said.
"If you just keep doing the right things, eventually [the goals] will come for you.
"You have that extra yard on the front foot, you feel that extra little bit sharper so hopefully there's a lot more to come and we'll go into Tuesday night full of confidence.
"The gaffer has shown a lot of faith in me so I'm always thankful to him for that because there has been times when he probably shouldn't have done and took me out of the team, but he's kept with me and hopefully I can keep putting them away and repay his confidence."
The Stags are now on a run of eight games unbeaten in all competitions and after last week's impressive 1-0 victory away at Coventry City and Hemmings believes it is important to continue the unbeaten sequence ahead of a busy week in Sky Bet League Two.
"The gaffer has shown a lot of faith in me so I'm always thankful to him."
"It was important we saw the game out. We had a good result last week away at Coventry but it's one of those games where it doesn't really mean much if you don't [continue] into this week.
"Obviously we've got a massive game coming up on Tuesday [away to Port Vale] and again on Saturday (Chesterfield at home) so it's important we started the week well and I'm glad I got the goal that got us over the line.
"I enjoy those goals, they're the best ones. I'll take 20 of them a season. It has just fallen nice and obviously you just get yourself in the right position at the right time.
"I'm just delighted to get over the line and get the three points because it was a big three points."
The former Dundee man was denied a second goal this afternoon when referee Tom Nield blew for a foul on Boro 'keeper Joe Fryer after Hemmings had rifled the ball home, and the frontman is certain the goal should have stood.
"As far as I was aware the assistant is running back to the halfway line, the referee has given the goal and we go away and celebrate it.
"Then all of a sudden the assistant is shouting 'No, no, no, no' and I'm thinking what's going on here, they're on the counter-attack trying to score.
"It should have been a lot more [goals]. Their boy's fouled their 'keeper and the referee's decided to give a free kick."
Supporters can login to iFollow Stags to view Kane Hemmings' full post-match interview.
