Interim joint Wycombe Wanderers manager Sam Grace savours the taste of victory at Mansfield Town

Grace, along with fellow Wycombe development coaches Harry Hudson, Matty Dye and Jerome John, have been put in joint charge while Wycombe seek a new manager after Matt Bloomfield quit the promotion-chasers for a Championship job at Luton Town this week.

Lucas Akins levelled Richard Kone's opener for Wycombe this afternoon, but Garath McCleary won it with an 87th minute finish

Grace said: “The boys were fantastic today – I have no voice left as you can tell.

“It was a massive group effort today from the staff and everyone involved – the coaches, the analyst, and the players.

“That was not an easy game today.

“So I am really pleased for the group and I couldn't wish anything more for such a great bunch of lads.

“This is a really united group and they are in it together.

“On Saturday they got together for some social time. We have some experienced players in there who would not let it be any other way.

“It is their aim to get promotion. I am just in charge today to help them do that.”

He was made to sweat at the end before enjoying the rush of being a winning manager.

“Eight minutes went up at the end which I think is a legacy of being a Wycombe team – we don't know where he got eight from. Then he tells me on the 96th there were another four to come,” he said.

“But when the final whistle came you are hit from all sides with the excitement and joy released in that minute.”

Kone who netted Wycombe's first, following up after Scott Flinders had saved his penalty, had come through Wycombe's development programme under Grace and Grace said: “There was a queue of people wanting to take that penalty. But Richard scored the last one so we gave it to him.

“That was Rich all over – there is a sharpness and a smartness, even when things don't look like they are perfect. He makes the best of them.

“For the equaliser, they got a cross in and it was probably the first time they had found a bit of space in the box - and it was a good finish.

“But I was incredibly pleased with the overall performance of our back line today.

“Mansfield had a great chance near the end, missed it, and then we scored. We had a good chance just before they scored as well.”

On McCleary's winner, he added: “Coming in from the right, when he took that touch there was a big intake of breath around me, but then there was that release when he scored. You would back him to score with his experience.”