Mansfield boss David Flitcroft: We deserve to be in the play-off positions

Posted Wednesday, November 07, 2018 by PA

Mansfield boss David Flitcroft said his side were no longer in a false position after they broke into the play-off places with a 2-1 home win over Grimsby.

The Stags had been left trailing after having two games postponed due to international call-ups.

Tyler Walker’s second-half double overturned Grimsby’s first-half lead, meaning the Stags have won both those games, and Flitcroft said: “I always felt we were in a bit of a false position.

“With the work we’ve put in and the support I have had from everyone at the club this season, it was really important we had to get the points and start climbing the table.

“That’s 22 games now – almost half a season – with one defeat.

“We deserve to be in this position. There are no hard-luck stories. We haven’t got two or three wins I think we should have had to make us a top three team. But we are in a good spot.

“It’s brilliant we have three players to celebrate internationally, but you do drop momentum. But we have taken the six points now and it’s important to have them on the board.”

The visitors edged in front after 36 minutes when Wes Thomas drilled a deflected cross under Bobby Olejnik and it went in off defender Mal Benning almost on the line.

But five minutes into the second half, Walker turned in Jacob Mellis’ left-wing cross at the near post from close in.

The Stags piled on the pressure and were rewarded after 82 minutes when an unmarked Walker headed in CJ Hamilton’s perfect cross at the far post.

It took Walker’s tally to five in three games and 12 for the season and left Mansfield unbeaten in 11 games after the first of four successive home matches.

After a third defeat in a row, Grimsby boss Michael Jolley said: “I was really disappointed as, in many ways, it was a similar story to the previous two away matches where we put a lot into the game.

“We were in the game for a long time tonight but we are again on the wrong side of a narrow defeat.

“We got our noses in front but we turned the ball over too cheaply in the second half which invited pressure and they took a risk and left more players forward.

“Defensively I think the lads put a real shift in. But we haven’t scored enough goals. Our attacking play must improve.”