Ice cool Tyler Roberts believes Mansfield Town can be looking up this season after win at Luton Town
Tyler Roberts netted an ice cool 2-0 clinching penalty kick at Luton Town yesterday and believes his new club can go places this season.
The classy 26-year-old former Leeds United £2.5 million man, who has played 20 times for Wales, signed for Stags on deadline day on loan from Birmingham City and is now finding his feet and fitness.
The win at Luton elevated Mansfield into ninth place in League One and Roberts said: “I am having a great time. I am enjoying the staff, the coaches, the players - the whole energy around the squad and the team.
“It is great and I really do believe that there is a chance for us to push on and really see where we can get.
“I really believe we've built something good and the manager has something good going here.
“I don't see why we can't be looking up.”
On the win at Luton, he said: “It was a solid, strong team away performance.
“We have had the international break to work on some things and I think we have gone out there and shown that.
“The away stand was sold out which was amazing, you could hear them the whole game. It was just a great away day.
“We took from the Reading game that we were not as clinical as we could be, having made the chances.
“We have continued to make the chances today and could have maybe come away three, four or five goals up.
“We have also worked on some defensive things and I think it has all come out in the whole performance today.
“Every man on the pitch and those who came on were great today.”
Rhys Oates netted a spectacular opener at Luton before Roberts scored from the spot, but hero at the other end was Tyler's namesake Liam Roberts in goal, who made two crucial saves, turning one shot onto a post and saving a penalty.
“Liam was solid,” said Roberts.
“We all see it in training. We know what type of keeper he is and today he has shown everyone how good he can be and how important he is to us.
“I am buzzing for him – it was a great day for him.
“They were massive moments as they came at times when Luton were controlling the game.
“We knew coming into the game that they would have spells when we were going to have to dig deep and rely on Liam and our defenders.
“They kept us in the game and are a massive reason why we got the three points and a massive clean sheet, which I know the defensive line are happy with. They were magnificent today and it was well deserved.”
On Oates' spectacular strike, he added: “It was one of those where it leaves his foot and everyone says goal.
“He is capable of that and I think me and him are in the same position. We are building up our minutes, getting stronger and fitter.
“We have a great connection at the moment. We are working off each other well.
“When you have a player like that it's special. His goal settled us down and put us into the game. We have taken control from there.”
Roberts hit the bar before he scored the penalty and said: “I just needed to make the run and tried to hit it across goal.
“Unfortunately it just hit the crossbar.
“But it was then onto the next one and just staying confident that I would get another chance.
“It is just about getting into those positions and believing a goal would come.”
Roberts felt he should have had a penalty before the referee actually awarded one after seemingly being hauled down by Millenic Alli.
“I said to their lad afterwards he was lucky to get away with that one and he said yes. So I think the ref has missed one there for sure.
“For me it's pretty similar to the one he's given in the first half, so I don't understand why he's not given us that one in the second half.
“Those things happen and you've got to deal with it in the game and not let it affect you.
“I don't think it did and we continued to push on and got stronger. And we did eventually get a penalty in the end.
“The keeper kind of told me where to place it really. He went a bit early so I just put it in the other corner.
“It is something I have been practising and working on.
“So I was confident to take it and I was happy the boys trusted me to step up and score the goal that sealed it.
“At 2-0 up I think we had good control of the game.”