Evans: '˜We should have won'

The Stags held Championship high flying outfit Cardiff City to a 0-0 draw away from home and will look forward to a replay at the One Call Stadium.

Evans believes they shouldn’t need a second bite at the cherry, however.

“We should have won today. The two big chances that we create through some wonderful football in the second half could lead to goals,” he said.

“We worked so hard against a very experienced Championship group which Neil [Warnock] selected. He started with big guns and he was bringing even more big guns on near the end.

“I thought we were in control for long periods of the game in the second half but if somebody had said this morning ‘you can take it back home to the One Call Stadium’ then we’d have said ‘yes’.

“Without a doubt Paul Anderson has the best chance. If Lee Angol, he’s a striker, so he’s going to take a touch and try and score a goal, but if he leaves it, probably [CJ] Hamilton’s running onto it, that’s how it looks at first sight.

“Both are good chances. Paul Anderson’s gone 80 yards to get into that position, [Alex] MacDonald’s won two challenges and gone through the middle and it’s a sublime pass. We were well on top at that stage.”

Evans has no interest in Monday’s draw because his side still have so much to do to progress.

“We know it’s going to be so tough in the replay, let’s not get carried away thinking anything than more than Cardiff’s going to be really tough.

“I’m not interested in the draw, I won’t watch it, I would if we won, but we’ll worry about that when Cardiff come to Mansfield.”

He was delighted in the backing given by the huge travelling support in Wales.

“We’ve come to a stadium where we’re back by 1,100-1,200 Mansfield fans - they’re right behind us from kick-off. They were giving words of encouragement all day, not words of doom and gloom and that spurred the boys on.

“The boys just remarked on it when they came in the dressing room – wasn’t it wonderful to be backed by a support like that? I’m the first to echo it; I’m the first to say when it’s not right but I’m the first to pay a tribute to those supporters.”