Mansfield Town manager Nigel Clough hailed his side's excellent display, after Stags earned a deserved 2-0 victory at home to Tranmere this afternoon.
The win ends the Stags’ run of 12 winless league games after goals from Rhys Oates and Danny Johnson.
Moreover, Mansfield are now out of the bottom two - ahead of next week’s FA Cup fixture away at Sunderland - something the manager said makes for ‘nicer viewing’.
“I’m very pleased with the performance, and the manner in which we did it [won the game],” said the manager, speaking to iFollow Stags.
“We probably didn’t play as well as we did against Port Vale last week but we kept the clean sheet, missed a penalty and still managed to get the three points.
“I thought the way we went about it [the game] was very commendable and I don’t think we started or played like a team that were second-bottom [of the league table].”
The game’s first goal, scored by Oates, pleased the manager.
“The pass, the first touch and then the finish – it was excellent! He’s [Oates] been a bit frustrated but he’s been here three months, it takes time [to settle after joining a new team].”
Oates’ overall performance earned him the sponsor's ‘Man of the Match’, which the gaffer felt was deserved.
“He’s done unbelievably well [to assist Johnson for the second goal]. I think nine times out of ten the player in that situation shoots.
“He’s flicked the ball over somebody’s head and I think to take an extra second to square it [for Johnson] shows a great level of both ability and maturity.”
The boss felt his side could’ve had even more goals in the game.
“I think we were unlucky at times in the first-half, Danny Johnson came round the back [post] and we were just looking for a break or a deflection to go our way.
“Harry Charsley had another one [a similar opportunity], so I think with that and the penalty [miss] as well, we could have added more to our total and it may have been more comfortable.
“Tranmere are a good side. They have some good, experienced players but I thought that our work-rate today prevented them from playing.”
With a break in the league schedule next weekend, the manager spoke about the importance of ending the winless run.
“We’ll only know in the next few weeks [the significance of the win] but it was far too long without a victory. It’s been coming.
“What’s struck us in the last few weeks is how the crowd have stuck with us in the games. You see their reaction after the game and it was like we won the FA Cup.
“It’s brilliant for everybody that we’ve got one [a win] but we’ve got to try and get another one next week and then again the week after that.”
Watch the manager's interview in full now by logging into www.mansfieldtown.net/ifollow