Mansfield boss Nigel Clough pleased with ‘professional performance’ in Gills win

Posted Sunday, February 12, 2023 by PA

Mansfield boss Nigel Clough was delighted with the professional way his side halted Gillingham’s recent revival with a comfortable 2-0 home win.

A strike from skipper Ollie Clarke and a Lucas Akins penalty before the break were enough to halt a run of three wins and a draw for the revitalised Gills, and Clough said: “I thought it was a good, solid, professional performance.

“I thought we played very well first half and looked after our lead second half.

“It was about protecting that lead and, apart from one great save from Scott Flinders in the second half, I thought we did that very well.

“Our first goal was a wonderful strike from our captain – with his wrong foot – it took a deflection and went in off the post. From then on we were in control.

“Lucas said he had got hold of him for the penalty and the referee was very close to it and instantly gave it.

“Lucas was confident to take it. I didn’t look. I just waited for the crowd’s reaction and the subs’ reaction.”

Stags broke through after 21 minutes when Stephen Quinn set up Clarke for a low, deflected finish off the inside of the near post from 18 yards.

Mansfield continued to create and in the 35th minute Max Ehmer was adjudged to have held onto Akins’ shirt in the box and conceded a penalty which Akins tucked inside the right-hand post.

Akins also forced a great save out of Glenn Morris with a header just after the break.

Gillingham’s best moment came after 73 minutes when ex-Stag George Lapslie headed at goal from a corner from six yards, but Flinders produced a superb reaction save.

Gills boss Neil Harris was not too downhearted, and said: “I was disappointed with the performance, but the group have been fantastic over the last four weeks and taken 10 points from four games before today.

“We have been to one of the hardest places to go in this division and come up a little bit short.

“I thought Mansfield were excellent. They are a team pushing for the top three, where we want to be.

“Second half we were better. But first half we made some poor decisions and were not good enough in both boxes.

“It was also a cheap penalty that was given against us. It was given for pulling the shirt. The referee agreed it was a bit of a soft penalty to give, but at the time he thought it was a foul so he should give it.

“Our players thought it was six of one and half a dozen of the other.

“But the one at the other end on George Lapslie, I agree if it was given it would have been a bit soft. But you can’t make the rules up as you go along. I thought we came out on the wrong side of those decisions.”