CATLING'S CORNER STAGS BLOG: Relief as Mansfield Town see off Stevenage for overdue home win

The feeling of relief is here as I write this week's blog.
Mansfield Town v Stevenage - Skybet League Two - One Call Stadium - Saturday 9 Jan 2016

James Baxendale celebrates with Craig Westcarr after scoring his first goal for the StagsMansfield Town v Stevenage - Skybet League Two - One Call Stadium - Saturday 9 Jan 2016

James Baxendale celebrates with Craig Westcarr after scoring his first goal for the Stags
Mansfield Town v Stevenage - Skybet League Two - One Call Stadium - Saturday 9 Jan 2016 James Baxendale celebrates with Craig Westcarr after scoring his first goal for the Stags

We finally got a home win and put away a team when we got the chances.

It was quite a good performance in which we did what we had to do to get the win.

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There was fight there and passion as well as something a little bit different in the side with the new signing from Walsall of James Baxendale.

He put in a man of match performance and was truly superb. He finished it with a superb goal which hopefully was the first of many - welcome to the Stags James.

For me, the stand-out players after Baxendale were Adams and Clements. Blair Adams has truly been absolutely superb since joining us and I really hope he does re-sign this week that would definitley make my week if he does.

On another note, after being out injured it was good to see captain Nicky Hunt back.

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The back four really does look better when he is in there and it’s the best the back four has looked for a while now.

The movement of the front four yesterday was something that caught my eye with Westcarr, Green, Baxendale and Lambe/Jack Thomas doing this all match.

It’s something a little bit different and something that worked.

Stevenage never looked like scoring at all yesterday and if the ref had done his job right I would be sitting here with a 2-0 win rather than the 2-1 score it ended with.

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There were four minutes added time and it finished well over that.

It was like the ref had both teams to score on his accumulator and wanted them to keep playing with free kick after free kick until he finally got his wish.

Anyway, we are now back in reach of the play-offs with these three points and in my eyes next weekend we need at least a draw or a win to keep us around the play-off positions with a tough game against Wimbledon.

Pre-match, just before the players came out onto the pitch, we heard a message from Adam Murray to all of us supporters, and it was really good to hear his passion and desire for this football club.

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It definitely made the atmosphere a really good one and I left the ground happy for a change after what he said seemingly paid off on the pitch with the players.

As has been said, maybe with one more quality player and keeping Blair Adams, we’ll be right up there.

I’ll summarise this by saying thank you for the six points Stevenage and I wish you and your 50 players luck this season.

So come on Adam Murray’s Barmy Army and COYS.