STAGS SCORE AT LAST BUT BOSS MURRAY ANGRY WITH BOO BOYS
ADAM MURRAY called for patience and understanding after his Mansfield Town side won for the first time in five games.
Without a goal since October 20, the Stags ended their barren run with victory over Hartlepool but Murray and his players had to run the gauntlet of the home crowd as they headed off at the interval level with Pools.
Leading thanks to Matt Green’s first goal in eight outings, they were pegged back by an unfortunate own goal by Krystian Pearce and that caused some worries amongst the crowd.
“We came off at half-time and we took abuse,” said Murray.
“It’s not good to hear and it’s only a minority, but it’s still heard. The mindset of some is wrong and last week people were mentioning relegation.
“But 99.9 per cent of fans were exceptional. It was quiet
and anxious at times early on, but we need them to raise the roof for us. We can’t score goals all the time to get them going.
“Overall I’m chuffed for the fans and the players.’’
Stags keeper Brian Jensen tipped an 11th-minute Mikael Mandron effort against the bar.
But winger Nathan Thomas was a constant threat for the Stags on the left and his delivery from wide into the area was always a danger.
It was from a Thomas cross on 24 minutes they went ahead, Green beat keeper Trevor Carson to the ball and popped it in from close range.
Pools levelled with a goal from nothing. A Jake Gray free-kick was headed away by Blair Adams, but it hit team-mate Krystian Pearce on the head and diverted into the net.
After the break, Stags substitute Adi Yussuf latched onto a ball on the edge of the area and creamed an unstoppable rising shot into the top corner from 20 yards.
And Green made sure on 81 minutes, latching onto a pass eight yards out and slotting home after the visiting defence was opened up.
Pools boss Ronnie Moore moaned: “It’s so frustrating – it was like chalk and cheese in both halves.
“We had to keep the ball better, move it better.We got back into the game at 1-1 and talked a good game at halftime.The goals we gave away were disappointing – where’s the passion and desire out there?
“I’m not saying they aren’t trying, but they have to defend better when they have to.
“My words at half-time were that if ever there was a game to win away from home in the second-half then this was it.”