Stags’ manager Nigel Clough says he is pleased with the ‘very good’ pre-season game played by both sides, as his team and Rotherham United battled it out for a 1-1 draw earlier today.
The boss used the fixture to give first outings to new goalkeeper Christy Pym and defender Riley Harbottle.
Rhys Oates climbed off the bench to level the friendly after Rotherham’s Joshua Kayode put the Millers in front after 60 minutes.
Speaking to iFollow after the game the boss was quick to praise both players as well as lively forward Will Swan.
Discussing Pym’s performance he said: “I am very pleased with the goalkeeper on his debut today.
“I thought Christy was excellent, [as he] showed what kind of goalkeeper he is.
“He is always on the front foot and his distribution was excellent.”
On Harbottle, who signed earlier in the day on a season-long loan from Nottingham Forest, he said: “He [Harbottle] hasn’t even trained with us yet.
“He has showed everything that he is about… honesty,
commitment and challenging in the air.
“He’s a wholehearted player who is incredibly honest. He may have played a bit less had (Elliott) Hewitt or (James) Perch been fit, but he got 75 minutes.”
Will Swan caught the eye with a lively display and the manager said: “Swan’s movement and intelligence along with the other lads was very encouraging.
“He is lively and alert, with excellent movement.”
Evaluating the match on the whole the manager was pleased with what he saw this afternoon from his charges.
“it was a good all-round exercise, playing and shape-wise, everything today.
“When Hiram [Boateng] comes on, he gets us on the ball and gets us playing.
“This coincided perhaps with them [Rotherham] taking off some of their first-choice players.
“[The game as a whole] I thought was even.
“They [Rotherham] put some good crosses in today, [which] is what Rotherham are all about.
“Their quality at set plays [showed], and one they unfortunately scored from.”
When asked about the latest on trialist midfielder Dylan McGeouch he said: “We left it open for him to come down [from Scotland], to train and play with us.
“Dylan is a very good player as you saw today.
“It is just [unfortunate] That we have seven midfielders [currently in the squad].”
