Stags fans challenged to keep Coventry atmosphere going

Over 1,500 travelling fans more than played their part in the 1-0 win at Coventry where the Stags boss said they ‘surprised’ him with their ‘best ever support’ since he joined the club.

“The fans were incredible,” he said. “They were like the days when we were very successful at Rotherham or like a normal day away with Leeds – they were loud and proud and I can give them no bigger acclaim than that. That was a fantastic support.

“We are going to need that level week in, week out. If you want to be challenging for any sort of promotion, I have said you need everyone on the rope pulling the same way.

“Saturday was a good day. We’ll have more good days going forwards and some not so good days, but the rope still has to get pulled in the same direction.”

Most of the Stags fans were amassed in the same section of the ground, but Evans said: “I think there were a few did a wee ‘cheeky sneaky’ behind me as when we scored, over my right shoulder I saw a few little Stags fans jump up like Zebedee which got them a bit of stick.”

Alex MacDonald sealed a deserved win near the end with a 25-yard rocket shot and Evans said: “It was one for the fans wasn’t it? The playing performance was excellent.

“Reading the reports, we’ve beaten the best team in the league away from home. I don’t think they’re the best team - I think there are four or five other protagonists who have that claim.

“But we just went about our business there professionally. We deserved to win and we made the better chances.

“We should have been able to see the game out comfortably as I think the referee has had a bad moment when he didn’t the penalty for Kane Hemmings.”

The Stags certainly impressed the natives at the Ricoh Arena.

“I spoke to some people behind the scenes at Coventry at the end and they said we were the best team that had been there this season,” smiled Evans.

They said ‘you came and opened up, you had a goal to play attacking football and you should have beaten us more comfortably.

“It doesn’t matter whether that comes from a steward or people who work in the tunnel area, they have an opinion as every supporter does, and you take it on board.

“They didn’t have to tell us that and those words are always welcome when it comes from honest people like that.”