Stags’ boss David Flitcroft has said that Mansfield’s ‘committed performance’ was worthy of earning a point against Oldham, following Danny Rose seeing his stoppage time goal ruled out for offside.
In a captivating contest at Boundary Park, the Stags showed heart to fight back in the game, courtesy of second-half strikes by Tyler Walker and Neal Bishop.
With the last kick of the game, Rose fired home after Jacob Mellis’ effort rebounded off the post, yet celebrations were cut short due to the raising of the offside flag.
The manager says that if the goal had stood, it would have made a ‘good end to the game’ for the 1,334 Mansfield fans in attendance.
“I’ve seen it [Rose goal] again and you can see quite clearly [that it’s onside],” said the boss.
“Mells [Jacob Mellis] has hit the post and Danny has reacted. He’s onside at that point. He [official] is not in line with it. You want someone to just get that decision right at the end.
“I think 3-3 would have been a just result from what we’ve seen today after a real committed performance by two teams.
“It was heated at times, but passionate and committed. We tried to fight back and I thought we did that.
“To try and get that equalising goal with the fans right behind it, it would have been a good end to the game. But it’s been chalked off by a decision that’s wrong.”
"I think 3-3 would have been a just result from what we’ve seen today after a real committed performance by two teams."
The Stags’ chief was glad to see his side improve in the second-half, after an ‘anxious’ opening period.
“We opened ourselves up. It’s not like us to open ourselves up, and there could have been more goals for Oldham,” he added.
“There could have been more goals for us. In the first-half, we were a little anxious. We were just snatching at things and not missing the front man with our crosses.
“You look at Tyler’s finish in the second-half, it’s absolutely clinical. But in the first-half we were snatching and it looked a bit edgy.
“In the second-half it turned into a basketball game that ebbed and flowed. All credit to Oldham, who have committed to this football match.”
The manager quickly turned his attention to the final home match of the season, against Stevenage on Saturday 27 April.
David Flitcroft says that the Stags will continue to fight for a top-three finish ‘one game at a time.’
“I didn’t say too much [to the players] afterwards, because emotions can run high after the game. We’ll break it down and watch it again.
“We’ll make sure that we get them right for the Stevenage game, the next thing we can affect as a group.
“We’ll be working really hard on that. We’ll take it one game at a time, and that’s all you can do when you have an afternoon like we’ve had.
“There is only Lincoln who have really taken it out of everyone’s hands by being consistent. We’ve got to a point where we’re right in the mix.
“Our destiny is in our own hands. We’ve been consistent this season, but we’ve probably needed more away wins and performances, and we’ve not got them.
“We’re in [the top three] and fighting, as you’ve seen today. We have to steer the ship, and get it back steady again.”
iFollow Stags subscribers can watch the manager’s interview in full by logging into mansfieldtown.net/ifollow later today.
