Manager Nigel Clough commended his players’ ‘brave and probing’ performance which led to an important 1-0 win at home to Forest Green Rovers tonight.
Tom Nichols’ headed goal on 20 minutes was enough to give Stags maximum points and propel Mansfield back into the automatic positions in Sky Bet League Two.
And the points were earned even with a makeshift back four as centre-forwards Lucas Akins and Jordan Bowery performed admirably in the defensively line to keep a much-desired clean sheet.
Speaking to iFollow Stags after the game, the manager said, when asked if this was one of the most satisfying victories of the season: “It was one of the most important, certainly. Seven defenders out at the start of the game and to keep a clean sheet, with Lucas and Jordan in the back four – it was a tremendous effort by everyone.
“Lucas, after getting over the first five-ten minutes, settled in very nicely. Jordan at centre-half looks as comfortable there as anywhere. It was a no-mistakes night, a night where you couldn’t make an error.
“Our football was good and brave. We kept on the ball, kept probing and got the all-important goal.
“Saturday was a one-off [at home to Crawley]. It was bad timing to have it at this particular stage of the season, but everyone was back on it tonight.”
Nichols’ looping header proved the decisive goal and Nigel said: “He knows exactly what he’s doing. He’s very good in the air for his size. It looks as though it’s going over his head and he just gets off his feet and heads it back across the goalie and it makes it very difficult for the goalie scrambling across. It was a great cross by Hiram.”
Stags had goalkeeper Christy Pym to thank for producing a top-class double save in the second-half after a rare Rovers’ charge forward.
“He's been brilliant all season,” said Nigel. “I think it’s the most difficult thing for a goalkeeper, when you’ve had little to do, and then he produces two saves like that. Good goalkeeping.”
Stags return to the top three places in the league ahead of Saturday’s trip to MK Dons.
“It means it’s in our hands and it’s still in our hands, irrespective of what happens at MK on Saturday, which is very important,” said Nigel. “If the worst thing happens on Saturday and we don’t get a result, we can win our last three games. We’re more than capable of doing that.
“It looks like it’s going to go to the wire and we’ll do our best of getting a positive result [on Saturday].”
