Nigel Clough hails Mansfield’s ‘unbelievably hard earned’ victory at Exeter

Mansfield manager Nigel Clough does not think his side will pick up a more hard-earned three points than those they got in a 2-1 League One win at Exeter.

Mansfield went in front when Frazer Blake-Tracy rose unopposed to head in a George Maris corner just before half-time, but Exeter were level through Josh Magennis, who scored from the spot after a Sonny Cox shot had been handballed.

But Will Evans finished off a swift counter-attack for the winning goal four minutes from time, much to the delight of Clough.

“We should have had a point from the first couple of games at least, but to come down here with players missing off the back of the win at Chesterfield – I don’t know what will happen over the next eight and a half months, but I don’t think we will get a better three points.

“It was unbelievably hard earned. You (press) have been up there in the shade, but when you get down on the pitch, it is quite brutal that heat. We had a good shape and everything and deserved what we got off the back of a harsh penalty given against us.

“There is a change in the handball rule and I don’t think they are quite sure what is and what isn’t handball at the minute. I am sure it will settle down in a few weeks but I wouldn’t like to see those given. I don’t think there is anything he (Jordan Bowery) could have done about it.

“We responded well and the value of the squad with Aaron Lewis, who was very good at Chesterfield the other night. He came on and made the goal, it was a good move, a good team goal and there is Will Evans to finish it off.”

Exeter manager Gary Caldwell was not happy with his team’s performance saying: “We weren’t good enough for the whole game.

“I thought we started OK, but our passing was too slow, our movements were not dynamic enough, we didn’t threaten their backline. But too often the passing was too slow, we didn’t find the free man or penetrate the last line and then we got bored with having the ball and controlling the game.

“We gave them opportunities and they took one with the set piece and the second half was more of the same. I thought we looked a threat when we changed the shape and we started to get the ball forward. At 1-1, I think everyone in the stadium thought there was only going to be one winner, but we have managed to shoot ourselves in the foot and lose it.

“It’s a huge disappointment – a huge disappointment in the last two games to be honest. I am sick of hearing about last week (a 4-1 win against Blackpool) because that is miles away. It was one game.”