Hitman Hemmings happy with flourishing Rose partnership

On-loan Oxford striker Kane Hemmings is enjoying his flourishing partnership with Danny Rose as Mansfield Town challenge for a top three place in League Two.
Mansfield Town v Morcombe
Kane Hemmings scores in the first half for Mansfield.Mansfield Town v Morcombe
Kane Hemmings scores in the first half for Mansfield.
Mansfield Town v Morcombe Kane Hemmings scores in the first half for Mansfield.

The pair have begun to gel superbly in recent games and Hemmings admitted: “Rosie is good to play with.

“You know he’s always going to throw himself about there up front and win everything.

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“If I can get on the end of things, bring my team mates into play and me and him can get in the box, then I think we’ll be a real handful for most defenders in the league. I am enjoying playing with him.”

Hemmings is now winning over the doubters after taking nine games to open his account.

“As a striker you always get judged on goals. I don’t think it matters at all how you play really,” he said.

“Although I do think I played well for long spells, I didn’t get that goal which is ultimately what you’re judged on.

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“Now I have scored a few I think it makes all the difference.

“I was just disappointed not to get the goals within so many games. But once the first went in they’ve seemed to come since then.”

Hemmings added: “I just want to play and play well. If I am playing well I’d like to think the goals will come.

“We have a good squad here and a good atmosphere among the boys and hopefully that will push us forward in the second half of the season and we can really give it a good go.”

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Stags are in the midst of a hectic festive period, but Hemmings says he relishes the challenge.

“I enjoy this period as there are a lot of games that come thick and fast. It can at times make or break your season,” he said.

“I think we can maybe say we got away with one against Morecambe, but then we drew a tougher game away against Grimsby.

“Maybe if you put them the other way round it probably would have worked out better. But four points out of six, we’ll take that going into two tough games against Wycombe and Carlisle.

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“It’s very tough on your body. But you just play, recover, then get ready to go again. There’s no thinking about it.”

Hemmings is aware how hard it will be at Wycombe on Saturday.

“Going somewhere like Wycombe won’t be easy,” he said.

“It will be a physical game and probably a high tempo game as well.

“They put it on you and work hard. We are under no illusions how tough it will be.

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“They have big men up there and a lot of running power off that as well. Then they have good players who back it up.

“They are a strong, physical team and not many teams will match that and trounce them.

“We will do our best down there and then get ready to play Carlisle.”

Hemmings now has five goals under his belt in his last 10 games and said: “I think I’ve been playing well.

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“I’ve scored a few goals now so I’d like to keep that going.

“Against Morecambe on Saturday I’d like to think I played really well in the short time I played.

“I enjoyed my goal at Port Vale but I think Saturday’s was my best. It probably meant a lot more in context of the game and it was a decent finish as well.”

Hemmings had just come back from a calf injury and was withdrawn exhausted just after half-time against Morecambe only to hear the home fans boo the decision to take him off.

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He smiled: “It was a weird one, but obviously I knew the reason and the gaffer and everyone else knew the reason.

“I could understand the reaction but I knew the reason.”

He added: “I wasn’t involved as much at Grimsby but I was always there or thereabouts, making a lot of runs but the ball wasn’t quite falling and that’s how it is.

“But physically I felt all right on Tuesday after I’d felt a bit rusty against Morecambe. Hopefully going forward now there are no more problems.”