Ian Evatt on Mansfield Town shoot-out win[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]Ian Evatt was pleased to get valuable minutes in the legs as Wanderers booked their place in the Carabao Cup second round.There was nothing to separate the sides after 90 minutes, with Davis Keillor-Dunn cancelling out George Thomason’s superb opener.
Luke Southwood was the hero in the shoot-out on his full debut, denying Aaron Lewis and Will Swan from 12 yards.
“We made nine changes from Saturday and a lot of these lads are new to us,” said Evatt after the final whistle. I thought first half, we lacked fluidity.
“Obviously, these players are getting used to each other and the way we do things. There were clear signs that everybody wasn’t on the same page, but that will come with time. This is why these games are crucial.
“Second half was a lot more like it, I thought we were in control. I don’t think they had many opportunities at all apart from the goal they scored.
“We just weren’t clinical enough with our opportunities. Then you get to penalties and anything can happen.
“The goalkeeper has pulled off, the last one in particular, a brilliant save and we managed to take our penalties apart from the two who missed.
“George picked his spot and the goalkeeper made the save. Randell missed the target but that is football. Fortunately for us, Luke managed to get us through.”
Chris Forino, Jordi Osei-Tutu, Jay Matete and John McAtee also made their first start for the Whites, while George Johnston and Randell Williams started in the backline.
“Tonight was crucial to get people minutes and up to speed,” the manager continued. “As I said, we have had new signings who joined us really late and probably had two or three training sessions.
“We can’t expect them to come onto the pitch together – it wasn’t like we changed one or two, we changed everything and everyone pretty much.
“It is understandable that some of those relationships aren’t going to be as fluid as they will be in a couple of weeks’ time.
“The most important thing is we stayed injury free, people have had game practice and managed to improve their fitness, and we managed to win. It is all positive really.”
Evatt was booked for his protests in the second half after Hiram Boateng took a wild swipe at Matete.
“I am so frustrated,” he admitted. “Saturday, we missed a clear red card and it has been confirmed by the PGMOL that it was a red card.
“We lose a player (Klaidi Lolos) for a significant period of time. How long, we don’t know but it will be a minimum of six weeks.
“But for a player who can’t get near the ball, to volley a player from behind - above the ankle – and not be punished for it is just baffling really.
“I think it is a really poor decision and poor from the player, I told him that after. There is a way to tactical foul, it is part of the game and we have to deal with it, but not like that.
“That is how players get injured and I am really grateful we didn’t get any more injuries tonight.”
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]Mansfield boss on 'cruel' defeat and 'brilliant' Thomason strike[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]Nigel Clough felt his Mansfield side “more than held our own” against Wanderers and were unlucky to lose out on penalties.George Thomason’s moment of magic appeared to have put the Whites on course for victory, but Davis Keillor-Dunn got the visitors back on level terms eight minutes from time.
Clough says there was plenty of quality on show despite both sides making plenty of changes from the weekend.
“Very pleased with it from start to finish,” he said after the final whistle. “A different sort of shape, different personnel but the principles stayed the same.
“I thought we knocked it about well. We didn’t create as much as we would have liked, a lack of conviction in the final third in the first half.
“It is a cruel way to lose on penalties but I didn’t think we deserved to lose.”
Clough added: “I thought they all did well, it showed the strength of the squad. Bolton did similar, as we thought they would.
“It’s early in the season and you have two league games which are important, it is a good opportunity to give the squad a game.
“It shouldn’t result in a lack of quality, which I didn’t think it did in the game tonight.”
The Mansfield boss admitted Thomason’s goal was a special strike but felt his side could have done more in the build-up.
“I’m not too happy with the goal we conceded,” he added. “It was a brilliant finish in the end but we shouldn’t have given the free kick away, and then Lee Gregory should have cleared it.
“We got back into it and had a brilliant chance with Lee, it wouldn’t quite come down for him.
“Then we needed one of two penalties to win it, the opportunities were there throughout the evening but it didn’t quite go our way.”
“That is the most encouraging thing from tonight, we have gone to Barnsley and Bolton now.
“They weren’t quite at full strength, but neither were we, and I think we have more than held our own in both games and could have come away with two victories.”
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