The 33-year-old has had mixed fortunes since joining the Stags and there were boos from the home fans in the stands on Saturday as he prepared to come onto the pitch.

Manager Nigel Clough has worked with him before at Burton Albion, knows the player's value to the squad, and said booing him was counter-productive.

“Lucas hasn't had, ideally, the best of times in the last few weeks. But he tries,” said Clough.

“That is the only thing with supporters. I understand their frustration and everything, especially when you're not winning the game and you bring players on.

“But I would hope that every single player who comes onto that pitch at the One Call, or even away from home, gets the full backing of supporters.

“If they don't agree with the substitution that's fine, come to me. I have got no problem at all with that.

“But don't direct it at the players as it is always counter-productive.

“You want them to do well on the pitch as, ultimately, you want the team to do well. If players are going onto the pitch with a few boos then that's certainly not going to help.

“Direct them at the technical area – that's no problem at all.”

On Akins' general form, he said: “Things have just not fallen for him. “But he has scored a few. You think back just a couple of months to Gillingham where he scored an absolutely brilliant goal.

“Lucas plays a major role in the team that sometimes is not particularly evident, his work rate and everything.

“So I think the other players as much as anything were as pleased for him that he got the winner on Saturday.

On Akins’ century of goals, he added: “It is a lot of goals and someone told me it was about his 601st appearance on Saturday. “So one goal in every six for somebody who plays all over the pitch – he hasn't played up front all that time by any means – is a great achievement for him.

“At Burton he played every single position for us except goalkeeper.

“He has that versatility first and foremost, and his effort. Even when he is not playing very well, when we get the GPS stats and running figures he is up there every single game.”

He added: “If you see a player going onto the pitch and not giving everything then I think supporters are entitled to have a little dig.

“But if a player is trying and just having a bad time then the best way to help them is to support him and try to get behind him.”

Mansfield Town boss Nigel Clough calls on fans not to boo Lucas Akins as striker hits 100th goal to seal late victory