Evans delighted with win but still seeking two more players

Mansfield Town manager Steve Evans was delighted to see his side get off the mark with their first win of the season today thanks to a powerful second half display in the 2-0 win over Forest Green Rovers.
Mansfield Town vs Nottingham Forest - Steve Evans - Pic By James WilliamsonMansfield Town vs Nottingham Forest - Steve Evans - Pic By James Williamson
Mansfield Town vs Nottingham Forest - Steve Evans - Pic By James Williamson

He also said he was still working hard to bring in two more players to what is looking a talented squad.

Evans was reported to have made a club record bid for a striker this week and he said: “We have made the offer manager to manager.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“That manager will come back to me after the weekend. They had a big Championship game today which we respect every step of the way.

“We are not just talking to him, we’re talking to two or three different players.

“I’ve said for a few weeks I want another central midfield player in and I want a different type of striker.”

He added: “People are getting carried away saying we need someone scoring 25-30 goals off a striker.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“Go and look at the teams that got promoted and tell me where the 25 goal a season striker is. What they had is three, four or five strikers who got 10 or 15 and midfield players chipped in. But if we get the boy we’ve bid for he will get 20 goals.”

Unambitious Rovers frustrated Stags in the first half but were gunned down by two goals in six minutes early in the second half.

“We’ve got a clean sheet and three points, but I think we can play better than we did in that first half. We lacked a little bit of intensity,” said Evans.

“In saying that they never hurt us, but we didn’t play with out usual attacking flair.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“At half-time we sorted a few things out - not screaming and shouting but just tactically and involving the boys in it so they buy into it.

“Second half we were terrific and in a 20-minute spell we could have scored five or six. We created chance after chance.

“We had a lot of big performances in the second half and Paul Anderson gets better week after week.

“We needed to press from the front and second half we got a really high pressing game from Danny Rose and Lee Angol. Our quality came through in the end.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He continued: “When you are 2-0 up you need a third one. It’s a dangerous scoreline. I said to the bench if we get a third we could get a lot more.

“But fair play to Forest Green I think they are a really good side and I think they will win a lot of games. They are very well set up tactically and organised and they have good players. You don’t get out the National league without good players.

“We are up and running. We’ve got three points and we’ve got a clean sheet. Now let’s see if we can get two wins in succession.”