'I want to repay the fans' - Striker Will Evans keen to repay the faith after move to Mansfield Town

The Welshman scored a debut goal at Matlock Town on Tuesday night just hours after his transfer from Newport County was confirmed.

Evans spoke of his delight at making the step up from League Two and vowed he would give it his all.

“I will just work hard,” he said. “I want to repay the fans for spending their hard-earned money coming to watch us and travelling home and away religiously.

“I will give everything for the team and pop up with the odd goal.

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“When I made the step up to the pro game I was going to stick to what I do and if it wasn't good enough then that’s fair enough, thankfully I proved it last year and now this is a new challenge and step up.

“I was brought in for a reason and hopefully I can see that through.”

The 27-year-old Welsh C international hit 25 goals last season, including 21 league goals in a struggling side.

And he is confident that Mansfield’s attacking style will complement his natural goal threat.

“They are an attacking team who press from the front and get balls into the box,” he added. “I will get myself in and around the six yard box and hopefully put them away.

“I think it suits me and hopefully I can repay the faith Mansfield has shown in me.

“It is only my second day here so I'm still getting to know the tactics, the principal of play and the players and how the gaffer wants to work.

“I have played against Mansfield the last two years and have seen what they are like and how it suits my game

“I'm just happy to get on the scoresheet.”

Stags boss Nigel Clough feels Evans is an ideal addition to the Mansfield squad.

“We needed a striker first and foremost and we think he is as good as we can get,” he said.

“We needed someone with legs and energy who will stretch the game at times. His goalscoring was outstanding last season, and all different kinds of goals as well for Newport.

“We got good references from everybody that we spoke to about him, about his character and his attitude.

“We are very pleased and looking forward to working with him for the next two or three years.

“We think he will score goals with the amount of chances we create in our team. We created plenty in League Two and we aim to do the same in League One, hopefully he will relish it.

The move sees Evans, who only turned pro three years ago after joining the Exiles from Cymru Premier League side Bala Town in May 2022, reunited with former County team-mate Aaron Lewis.

Evans was a late starter in the professional game.

After working on the family's farm in Llangedwyn and playing for the village team, he applied to be a teacher after completing a degree until the move to Bala happened.

Evans turned professional at the age of 24 at Newport, but began life playing at left-back before former Stags boss Graham Coughlin moved him up top with great success.

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