Hemmings praised after goal heartbreak

On his seventh start for the club, Oxford loanee striker Hemmings saw Notts County keeper Adam Collin turn his close range header onto a post and it appeared to cross the line.

However, Danny Rose made sure with his follow-up and was credited with the goal as Stags went on to win 3-1.

“I think there is an argument Kane’s header was in,” admitted Evans. “I don’t know if it was when you’ve not got the goal line technology.

“Danny is obviously going to say it wasn’t. It could be hitting the net and coming out and Danny would claim it!

“But you look at the quality of the goal. It was fantastic play by Omari (Sterling-James). It was a fantastic cross to the far stick, picks Kane out, and it was a fantastic, brave header from Kane as the defender was coming to smash it.

“Then Adam Collin, who has made many saves like that for me over the years, makes a fantastic save to get anywhere near it and turn it onto the post.

“Danny Rose followed it in like all good strikers do and it ended up in the net.

“I’ve always said I don’t care who scores. I don’t care if we’ve got five players on 10 goals or 15 goals as long as at the end of it we’ve scored enough goals to get in that top group.”

However, Evans had nothing but praise for Hemmings’ contribution.

“I thought he was wonderful on Saturday,” he said.

“He led the line like a true Stag. He and Danny Rose gave the team a real focal point. I thought they really complemented each other well.

“I have said before I think we have five terrific strikers. Probably Omari feels hurt and aggrieved he’s not had a further run at times and Jimmy Spencer must be wondering what he has to do to start a game.

“He started against Lincoln in the Checkatrade and he was excellent. That was why he got introduced as the first substitute in the strike force on Saturday.

“My first choice partnership will always be the boys in form.

“Lee Angol would have started Saturday but the kid just wasn’t 100 per cent feeling right so therefore he came out.”

He added: “It’s a big week ahead with training and people justifying being in the team.

“It’s never the answer to say we beat Notts County the league leaders, so we’ll go with the same team. That’s the 1990s.”