Nigel Clough says ‘incredible’ Mansfield win was their best of the season

Mansfield boss Nigel Clough hailed his side’s 2-1 win at fellow play-off hopefuls Stockport as their best victory of the campaign.

The Stags struck first through Lee Gregory and despite the setbacks of Will Collar’s equaliser and Gregory’s missed penalty shortly after, Will Evans’ strike shortly before the break ensured their fourth victory in five games.

That has lifted Mansfield to within one point of seventh-placed Stockport, with the Stags also boasting at least one game in hand on most of the teams above them.

Clough said: “It was an incredible victory, probably our best victory of the season and some of the lads are absolutely out on their feet but they just kept going out there today.

“We felt a little bit aggrieved because we missed a penalty and thought we should have had two more – it would have been nice to get that third goal.

“I thought it was an even contest and they had more territory in the second half but I thought we dealt with the majority of stuff and I can’t remember Christy Pym having much to do in the second half.

“I thought both our goals were outstanding finishes. For Lee’s I think most strikers would have slashed at it and gone for power, but that’s the difference with Lee, he showed a bit of composure with his weak foot and side-foots it into the bottom corner.

“It was the same with Will Evans on his weaker foot, to go round the goalkeeper and put it in. Both were absolutely brilliant striker’s finishes.”

Stockport manager Dave Challinor was disappointed his side could not back up their draw against league leaders Birmingham City on New Year’s Day with a successful result at home.

Challinor described some of his side’s defending as “shambolic” as they slipped to a third defeat in six games, leaving them three points off the top six.

“We were miles off it today and some of the defending in the first half was shambolic,” said Challinor. “They are players in there who took all the plaudits on Wednesday night when they did what they did against Birmingham.

“You can’t be polar opposites in what you produce in between the two games because you will get different challenges and you have to respond to those challenges.

“At half-time, we were lucky to be in the game because it could have already been over for us. We were in the game though and huffed and puffed in the second half but it was nowhere near good enough from us.

“When you play as you do in the manner of the first half and concede the goals that we did and allow a team that are good at protecting leads and give them a lead, then they’ll manage the game how they want to manage it and get players behind the ball.”