Perhaps Mrs Evans will be spot on?
AS THE queue of Mansfield players to have missed a penalty this season grew longer, manager Steve Evans has turned to an unlikely source.
The Stags boss couldn’t believe his eyes as Kane Hemmings fluffed his side’s third spot-kick of the campaign in a stalemate with Carlisle.
Evans joked: “The next penalty taker for Mansfield Town is my missus.
“She’s got as much of a chance as any of our lot has.
“Kane Hemmings never missed a penalty in training all week. But it’s not the best penalty he’ll take.”
After a tepid opening 45 minutes the Stags came out strongly in the second half, and Calum Butcher’s debut goal, after a heated team-talk, cancelled out Hallam Hope’s opener.
“I’ll leave my debit card number for the teacups,” Evans continued.
“I spoke about the supporters and how much they would be running about and trying to win if they were fortunate enough to wear the shirt.”
After Mark Ellis had thumped a header off the post in the 14th minute, seconds later Hope latched on to a long defensive clearance to stride clear of the Mansfield back line before rolling the ball past Conrad Logan.
The visitors were by no means being overrun and had chances of their own, but Hemmings’ 44th-minute curling free-kick was pushed wide by Jack Bonham before the same player missed from the spot on 52 minutes.
But his side would equalise; Butcher, only off the bench a matter of moments earlier, lobbing a stranded Bonham after he had punched a 58th-minute cross clear.
Both sides pushed for a winner in the closing stages but substitute Shaun Miller’s vicious 80thminute strike smacked the post as neither team could find a decisive breakthrough.
“I’ve got to be pleased with a point,” said Cumbrians boss Keith Curle. “We caused problems from set-pieces in the first half with balls bouncing around in the box. On another day it would have been a different result.
“After the defeat last week at Lincoln the players showed good character on Tuesday and again against a team trying to buy their way out of the division meeting a team trying to build success.”
Curle was particularly complimentary about his centre-back Ellis, saying: “That’s probably the best he has played for me since I have been at the club.”