LOMAS ON MANSFIELD TOWN: Is it right to boo your team after they have won?

It is certainly a rare phenomenon and one that never used to happen a few years ago.

If your side was out of form and had only just managed to see off a side they were expected to beat, they would probably get lukewarm applause at worst.

But to see Stags booed after making hard work of beating National League strugglers Chorley was unexpected.

Is this a symptom if the modern day game, the pressure that comes down from the top, and the obscene money that goes with it all?

Younger fans may think it’s always been the done thing - but it hasn’t.

I would be very interested to know how many times football fans have seen supporters actually boo their side after a victory and when the first time was.

Football fans have always been demanding and made their displeasure known.

But it does seem to be getting worse.

We have a country in the midst of a political civil war over Brexit, we have crime on the increase and we have right wing politics and race hate back on the rise all over the world plus highly toxic social media exchanges.

It feels like a pretty nasty planet out there right now and this could just be a symptom of it.

The cold, hard facts are that Stags have not played well at home this season on a regular basis and they did labour to see off supposedly inferior opposition on Saturday.

But the form book always goes out the window for the cup and Chorley were never going to come and throw men forward or roll over and die voluntarily.

They defended for their lives and made life tough for Stags.

It was frustrating to watch, but the home side, for all their failings, deserve much credit for retaining their patience and possession of the ball amid the growing tension in the ground and continuing to probe for the chink in the Chorley armour that eventually appeared.

They may only have won once in the National League since promotion last summer, but they have drawn 10 of their 20 games against some very good full-time clubs, showing they are no pushovers to beat.

The winning goal just nine minutes from time provided sheer relief, but it was no surprise that, with nothing to lose, the visitors had a real go at the end.

But those cheers were very quickly forgotten as fans vented anger.

There is no hiding from the fact that Stags are expected to at least make the play-offs once more this season.

And many Stags fans still want John Dempster to succeed.

But there is no doubt some have already written him off and appear to be awaiting a replacement.

Dempster knew he’d have to prove himself and win fans over when he took the job and that is proving more difficult by the home game.

So perhaps it’s kindest and most beneficial that his side now have four successive away games to regroup and keep their fine away form going before Cheltenham’s visit on 7th December.

Three points and a confidence-boosting big away win cold be on the cards at crisis club Macclesfield on Saturday if their striking first team again sit it out and they play youngsters again.