Mansfield boss Dempster disappointed after Salford ‘smash and grab raid’

Mansfield manager John Dempster described visiting Salford’s 2-1 win as a “smash and grab raid”.

The Stags dominated for long spells and created plenty of chances but Salford defended superbly and went 2-0 up after the break before Mansfield pulled one back and piled on late pressure.

“I think Salford will be rubbing their hands together thinking it’s been a smash and grab,” said Dempster.

“I think the best team lost – Salford have done a real job on us.

“They were continuously fouling us and breaking our rhythm, which they were allowed to do.

“To find ourselves 2-0 down at home is shocking and we have to do a lot better defensively. They were soft, powderpuff goals.

“But look at the amount of shots we’ve had, chances to get crosses in and possession. I am very frustrated.

“In general play if we play like that we will dominate teams as we dominated Salford tonight. But we can’t defend like that.

“They had a game plan and we have been very naive and not good enough in either box.”

Emergency loanee keeper Mark Howard was pitched in by City and saved efforts from Nicky Maynard and Andy Cook while Maynard and Conor Shaughnessy went close in a first half bossed by the home side.

However, Cameron Burgess saw a headed finish ruled out for offside while Craig Conway curled a free kick against a post in two rare Salford chances.

But in the 48th minute Jake Jervis raced clear down the left to net off the far post from Adam Rooney’s flick-on and, after Maynard missed another home chance, Rooney volleyed in the second over Conrad Logan in the 65th minute from a half-clearance.

Maynard turned to poke home from six yards from Shaughnessy’s pass in the 77th minute and then it was backs-to-the-wall defending for Salford in a thrilling finish.

Salford boss Graham Alexander said: “The quality of the finishes of the two goals were superb.

“We know that some games are a grind, but if you keep in there, do the right things and keep it level, we feel we’ve got really good quality in our squad to score goals. That was evident tonight.

“Mansfield put us under a lot of pressure, especially after they got the goal back to make it 2-1.

“It went really basic then and we had to defend our box with our lives. To be fair, to a man, the players did that and there were some fantastic challenges and blocks.

“That’s what it’s going to take. It was a performance of intelligence and one of grit.

“We had to make sure we saw the game out and play with discipline and composure in our thought process, and I think the players did that.”