Heslop has the taste for more Stags goals

Midfielder Heslop is hoping to be fit to face Cambridge tomorrow, despite limping off at Fratton Park last Saturday and now has his sights set on more goals.
Heslop scored inside the first minute of the second half to give Mansfield a lead and said: “It was about time! The result is the most important thing but it’s always nice to get your name on the scoresheet.

“They are not coming thick and fast like they used to when I was younger. I have more defensive responsibilities these days. But I’ve got a decent strike on me and I think there are a few more to come.

“The coaching staff hadn’t even got back out by the time I scored so I had to explain the goal to them afterwards!

“After we got the first goal we had two or three chances. If we’d taken one of them we could have put the game to bed.

“We had disappointing performances in the couple of games before, so to get a result and a performance at a really tough place to go was pleasing.”

Heslop then had another injury set-back as he damaged the same foot he had already injured a few weeks back but in a different spot.

“My season has been a bit stop-start,” he said. “I needed stitches in my foot after the Notts County game and I finished the game when I probably should have come off. Then I probably tried to come back a bit soon and ended up getting an infection in it. But I managed a goal and a decent performance at the weekend and I hope I can now kick on from there.

“On Saturday I got a whack on the same foot, though nearer my toes. But, all being well it will be okay for the weekend.

“We have a small squad and the physio is working extra hard to get as many players back as possible.”

On opponents Cambridge, he said: “Sides who get promotion from the Conference tend to do well in their first season in the League. You have to be a really strong team to get out of that league. It seems to be the case with Cambridge.

“We saw some of their game last week on the bus and they look a good, well-organised team. We know we’ve got to be at our best to beat them.

“We need to turn this into a bit of a place that people don’t want to come to – a bit of a fortress.

“I hope the Accrington game was a bit of a blip and we can write that off and get back to winning ways on Saturday.

“It is important we now start going on a bit of a run as the league will start to sort itself out before Christmas and it’s important to be right up there in the top half of the table towards the play-offs by then.”