Graham Coughlan hails massive win as Mansfield edge Newport

Posted Sunday, February 16, 2020 by PA

Mansfield boss Graham Coughlan hailed a massive win for his struggling side as a Danny Rose goal earned them a crucial 1-0 Sky Bet League Two home win over Newport.

The result opened up a 13-point gap from the drop zone and was only Coughlan’s third win in his 13 games in charge.

“It was a real big win for us,” he said. “We thoroughly deserved that result today. We knew the importance of it.

“We deserve better than the results we’ve been getting. We have been controlling games and just had one or two mad moments that have been hurting us.

“Today we showed what we are capable of. But I don’t want to get too excited.

“We got excited after the Bradford game (a 3-0 win last month). But I want us to build on this and win the next game.”

The game was spoiled as a spectacle by the wind and rain of Storm Dennis, but Stags stood firm against that and Newport’s direct game.

“We knew it was going to be like that with the weather and you have to take the opposition into account as well. We knew they were going to chuck the kitchen sink at us,” added Coughlan.

“It was nice to fix and correct that result from last year’s play-offs. Newport stopped this club progressing and having a day out at Wembley.

“I made sure the players knew that over the last few days and they played with a lot of heart, character and determination.”

Newport failed to test Stags’ debut-making goalkeeper Aidan Stone all game and found themselves trailing after 29 minutes as Micky Demetriou sliced the ball in midfield and sparked a home break that saw saw Nicky Maynard’s shot blocked – only to see Rose drill home his 11th goal of the season in all competitions from 16 yards.

Krystian Pearce and Rose forced saves from Tom King before Mansfield weathered a late push from the visitors.

Newport boss Michael Flynn said: “Today I think the better team lost.

“In the first half we played some really good football and we’ve lost the game to an error.

“Danny Rose got a free shot just inside the box and it’s killed us.

“With all the injuries we’ve got, that group of players worked their socks off for us and put in a shift.”

Newport are without a league goal in four matches now and Flynn added: “The boys have just got to keep believing and backing themselves they will take the next opportunity.

“Hand on heart, the amount of goals we’ve scored won’t get us in the play-offs unless there is a massive turnaround. We will never give up on it but it’s looking tougher and tougher.”