Stags’ boss Steve Evans believes his side are beginning to find some consistency in Sky Bet League Two following today’s superb 1-0 win away to Exeter City.
Frontman Danny Rose’s clinical first half finish ensured Stags recorded back-to-back wins over fellow two separate promotion hopefuls in the form of Newport County on Tuesday and the Grecians at St James Park today.
And after saying spells of Tuesday’s 5-0 win were as good as Stags have been since taking over in November 2016, the gaffer commented that today’s first half performance was even better.
“It is a fantastic result against an excellent side – that doesn’t change just because if we’ve beaten them. We should be three up in the first half but nothing was falling for us in the box and it was one-way dominance," the boss said.
“I think in the end, if it was anything other than three points, it would have been hard to take.
“If I’m being honest, I thought our first half today was better than our 90 minutes against Newport.
“We’re still trying to find some consistency. We’re getting there. I think the first half was better than Newport and I said Newport was, for spells, as good as it’s got. If you take the opponent into consideration, I think the first half was as good as we’ve played.
“If I’m being honest, I thought our first half today was better than our 90 minutes against Newport."
“You see partnerships developing now. You see understandings developing and I did say that all the way from June until November and very few listened. You have to believe in your group and they’re a fantastic group.”
In addition to dominating the game in the first half, Stags were forced to defend resolutely in the second period against a side who hadn’t lost at home since mid-October.
And the gaffer praised his centre-half pairing of Krystian Pearce and Rhys Bennett for their shepherding of Jayden Stockley, as well as the performance of Swansea City loanee Adam King.
“In the first half, [Adam King] looked like a player who had played and trained with Premier League players for a long time. I thought he got a lot of assistance today, once again, from the rest of the lads but I thought his performance was assured.
“King was orchestrating that [first half dominance] for long spells, but was ably assisted. That would be the pleasing aspect because it’s a big decision to bring a kid from Swansea Under 23s and put him in.
“He knows the competition; Joel Byrom’s running up and down the pitch before the game today so the competition will continue.
“The biggest compliment I give ourselves is they’ve not made a clear-cut chance for dominating possession of the ball [in the second half].
"What I would say is Conrad’s [Logan] not had a save to make.
“Our centre-backs won a lot of aerial duels and that’s a tough ask against the big striker they’ve got because he throws an arm every time he goes up – in a sporting way, not in a dirty way.”
Supporters will be able to view the manager’s post-match interview by logging into iFollow Stags later this evening.
