MANSFIELD boss Billy McEwan was delighted to see his week's work on getting a rare clean sheet come up trumps as Stags went second in the table with a narrow 1-0 win over impressive Grays Athletic on Saturday afternoon.
"All week in training we have worked on our defending and keeping a clean sheet and it paid off," he said
"We got blocks and bodies in the way though I was angry at half time as I felt our midfield were not winning enough second balls.
"But I was delighted with the win. They made us work very hard for it and all credit to Grays. I thought they played very well - probably our toughest test this season - but we defended excellently as a team.
"We are not getting carried away - there is a long, long way to go. You can't build a house overnight and you can't build a football team overnight.
"It wasn't a classic and we have got to pass the ball better. When we did we looked dangerous and we walked through them for the penalty.
"After just six weeks together it's a decent start and I am grateful to the players - their effort has been outstanding."
The game was settled by a disputed Mark Stallard penalty on 23 minutes and McEwan added: "I felt it was a blatant penalty today. We had one at Barrow last week worse than that - it was GBH - and we didn't get it so this one evened that out."
He also explained the absence of striker Aaron O'Connor from the 16 following his two-goal haul on Bank Holiday Monday.
McEwan said: "It was part of the agreement when he came to us that he couldn't play for us when we play them.
"I have known about it all week, but wanted to keep it quiet; I thought it was better that way."
And looking ahead to Tuesday's televised match at York City, one of his former clubs, McEwan added: "I don't want the players posing about or showboating, they are not TV stars.
"It is my first time back there since I was sacked, but I hope I get a good reaction. I had a good rapport with the supporters."
He also said he was continuing his search to strengthen the squad, explaining that it would probably be through loan deals either before or after the transfer window closes at the end of the month.
Grays boss Mike Woodward disagreed with McEwan over Saturday's matchwinning spot kick and said: "I though the penalty decision was diabolical - it was ball to hand and not hand to ball. And we had a blatant penalty turned down at the other end."But the away team rarely gets the decision - it's like playing at Old Trafford.
"We definitely deserved something out of that game - a draw or even a win.
"We were the away side yet we took the initiative and the game to the home side and you had to listen to the home crowd getting on their players' backs.
"Any paying customer would have said Grays looked like the home side.
"You only get out what you put into games but we are not a bad side and our luck will turn."
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