ROSE BLOOMS UNDER PRESSURE
STEVE Evans spelled out the importance of Danny Rose as the prized striker bagged his 17th goal of the season to move Mansfield up to fourth.
The former Bury frontman, 24, showed his predatory instincts to stab home a rebound as Mansfield recorded their fifth win in their last six games.
That’s four goals in five games for Rose, who teased and tormented Exeter’s defence during a one-sided first half.
Evans insists Rose is thriving under the pressure of firing Mansfield to promotion as his side climbed to within three points of the top three.
The Stags boss said: “We demand so much of him and the more we demand the more he delivers.
“Exeter have got two good centre-backs but they were kept very busy by Danny in that first 45 minutes.
“He is not overly physical, but he is wholly committed. He gets on the end of crosses and gives defenders restless moments. “He is a big part of the wheel.” Rose fired a warning shot after five minutes when his angled shot was tipped onto the post by Christy Pym.
Mansfield quickly took a stranglehold on proceedings and only a combination of smart defending and wasteful finishing kept the score all square.
But that changed in the 38th minute as Alfie Potter scampered into the box and drilled a cross into the path of Kane Hemmings. The striker’s shot was brilliantly pushed on to the bar by Pym before Rose applied the crucial touch from the rebound to hand the Stags a deserved lead.
Rose squandered a chance to double Mansfield’s lead at the start of the second half when he dragged an effort wide. Exeter applied some late pressure but referee Chris Sarginson was having none of it when Dean Moxey fell in the penalty box in stoppage-time.
Evans added: “Exeter fans will be wondering why they didn’t get that late penalty.
“I have seen it again, it was simulation and should have been a booking.
“Teams are fighting for a wonderful prize at both ends of the league and this three points doesn’t mean any more than any other win.”
Exeter manager Paul Tisdale is staying upbeat despite seeing his side’s sevengame unbeaten run at home ended.
He said: “We weren’t at our best, but there is a long way to go in the season.
“We will move on to the next and keep working hard.
“It was really difficult conditions again, they started better than us and got that early goal, which is so important here.
“There are 15 games to go and our job is to look at those 15 games and think how many games we need to win and do something about it.”
The result leaves Mansfield challenging for the automatic promotion trio, while Exeter slip out of the play-off places.