Mansfield Town

Rhys Oates, George Lapslie, George Maris, Riley Harbottle and Will Swan all netted for the amber and blue as Stags cancelled out a 2-0 deficit to emerge as victors. 

 

Wimbledon’s Chris Gunter was sent off on the stroke of half-time, which allowed Mansfield to push their foot further down on the gas and dominate proceedings in the second half against ten men. 

 

“Once we got into our stride after 20 minutes, we deserved the points,” said the manager, speaking to iFollow Stags.

 

“We got the balance just about right and made it difficult for them to get back in the game.

 

“The quality of the goals and the crossing was very good indeed.

 

 

“Everyone tonight played well. It was difficult to pick a man of the match 

 

 

When asked about the opening 16 minutes, in which the Dons scored twice, he said: “I didn’t think we should have seen two-nil down, it was two isolated attacks. Two efforts on target and Wimbledon put us two-nil behind.

 

“Even at that point we were playing okay and were creating chances. it was just a matter of taking them.

 

“I thought we had a team on the pitch to create chances and score goals.

 

“We got a little nervy in the first 20 minutes and gave away the ball needlessly in wide areas but once we got into our stride we controlled the game and played some good stuff.”

 

Asked to pick his best goal out of the five, the Stags’ chief said: “George Maris – the third one – the movement, playing it out from the back. It’s a good ball through, Jordan squares it to Ollie Clarke, another pull back and it’s a finish off the post. I think there were four or five incisive passes and it ends up in the back of the night.

 

Speaking about the feeling in the dressing room after the game, he added: “[The dressing room is] Elated and relieved that we have three points, five goals and another good performance at home. That’s finished now and we focus on Saturday.”