Stags’ boss Nigel Clough hailed three ‘special’ goals as Mansfield hit three past Accrington to claim a first away win of the season.
Davis Keillor-Dunn fired Stags in front with a fantastic overhead kick. George Maris then doubled the lead with a lovely finish following excellent build-up play and fellow midfielder Aaron Lewis put the icing on the cake with an extraordinary long-distance volley which flew into the net to the amazement of all inside the Wham Stadium.
And speaking post-match the manager gave iFollow Stags his perspective of the three netbusters: “They were special goals,” he said.
“The third will take everybody’s attention. I’m not sure how far he [Lewis] hit it from, I think it was the distance and the fact he hit it first time which made it remarkable.
“It was one of those where everything freezes, time freezes as everyone just watches the ball float towards the goal to see if it’s going to dip underneath the crossbar or not, but it was a magnificent effort.”
On the first two goals he said: “When you score an overhead kick at any time it’s a special goal.
“I loved the build up for the second one.”
Stags always looked in control of the contest and the manager was pleased to see his men stretch their unbeaten run to nine games.
“It was a brilliant result. The standard of the goals [was pleasing] and an excellent clean sheet which I’m delighted with.
“There are aspects of the performance which we still need to improve upon.
“[But] I thought we showed more than in glimpses and passages how we were a few weeks ago before the disruption of the injuries and at times our moves were very good, especially leading up to the second goal. It was the most unremarkable finish of the three goals but I thought it was the best team goal.
“We’ve been looking to finish off some of the opportunities which we create and we were quite clinical today.
“We got back on it today, playing with a bit of rhythm against a good footballing side.
“I thought the 3-0 might have flattered us a little bit because they had some opportunities and I thought Christy Pym had to make three or four very good saves today.
“We said to the players, ‘you don’t want to be chasing the game in this heat’, so to get the two goals and look after it, and when we got the third goal that killed it.”
Stags earned a first away win of the season in style and Nigel said: “It’s about time we won on the road, we should have won at Doncaster and we should have won at Crewe. It’s taken us a few weeks too long and we have long trips to Colchester and Gillingham so it’s a nice way to start.
“I’ve said to them [the players] if we are going to be serious challengers you must get points on the road. It’s lovely being unbeaten but you can’t afford to draw too many games, you have to win your fair share as well.”
