REACTION | Stags Through To Knockout Stages Of Checkatrade Trophy

Chris Clements’ sublime strike in the third minute of injury time, saw Mansfield Town overcome Derby County Under 23s 3-2, to qualify for the regional knockout stages of the controversial checkatrade trophy last night.

The Stand-In captain’s late strike ensured the Stags’ qualification for the regional knockout stages, and put the Stags into the away category for the next round, as group runners up will travel to another regional group winner – some of which are still to be confirmed with fixtures taking place this evening.

Clements said “It’s good to get a goal but most importantly to get the win, I think the performance on Saturday (against Plymouth) deserved a win so it’s good to get through the competition and obviously to get the winner is good to myself and I think the team needed that win today”

On being handed the captains armband for the match, Clements, who is currently the clubs longest serving player, added “It was different, it was a strange one when the gaffer named the team and I was skipper, but everybody has got to be a leader on the pitch no matter who wears the armband. We’ve all got to work for each other, be leaders, be talkers – that’s what the gaffers trying to get into us now. I’ve been here forever so that was probably the reason!”   

Boss Murray said there were still improvements to be made “We played into their (Derby) hands a little, we scored two goals and the boys were fantastic – the thing we speak about is getting the balance and the decisions right you can’t play total football and not mix it up by playing forward when you have too.”

“I think for twenty minutes of the first half, we over played and created our own problems and it was just getting that balance again but when the boys are like that and are confident, they just want to pass the ball and play – I don’t want to take that away from them.”  

The draw for the Northern Section Knockouts takes place tomorrow (Thursday 10th at 10.30am – Murray’s men will be seeded as an away side and could face a trip to one of the Northern Section group winners, week commencing 5th December

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