Mansfield Town boss Adam Murray hails Mal Benning wonder goal as one of the best ever

Mansfield Town boss Adam Murray hailed Mal Benning’s wonder volley as one of the best goals he has ever seen after today’s ‘ruthless’ 3-0 win over bottom club Newport County.
Adam Murray.Adam Murray.
Adam Murray.

Left back Benning scored Sky Sports Best Goal of the Day with a superb volley at Dagenham last weekend but surpassed that today with simply stunning finish from over 20 yards as three second half goals finally broke the Welsh’s club’s resistance.

“Mel’s goal has got to be up there (with the best goals I have ever seen), said Murray.

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“His one last week was a ‘joke’, but that was extra-special today.

“It was a great ball from Jack to pick him out. He could have just put it into an area. But he’s picked him out and Mal did the rest.”

With John Sheridan having just taken over as new manager at Newport before last weekend, Murray admitted Stags had little idea what they would be up against today.

“It was a tough one to plan for and a tough one to prepare for,” he said.

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“It was going a little bit into the unknown today which I wasn’t comfortable with. With a new manager we didn’t know exactly what they would come with.

“We couldn’t prepare to as fine a detail as I would like to. So we knew we had to be on our mettle from the off.

“I spoke to the lads before the game about being ruthless. On the run we are on we need to make sure we keep putting teams to the sword - and it was a ruthless performance today.

“By half-time we were doing okay. Territory-wise we were dominating. We had a a lot of the ball, but we needed that X-Factor, that ruthlessness to make something happen.

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“They were defending well to be fair, so we knew we’d have to be patient and shift them a bit by adding a little bit more width.

“Then we had a great a little bit of play around the box that led to Westcarr’s opener – and what a finish.

“Then I think Mal Benning is going for Goal of the Season on his own. It was another great bit of skill, then Adi does what he does.”

Murray added: “It was a tricky one today and they changed formation second half which threw us again. We were going to get two centre forwards on the pitch but they were creating overloads against us.

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“Greeny had to work his socks off for the team again and we thoroughly deserved the three points.”

The win left Stags in the top four in League Two and the manager said: “We are happy, but focused. There is a strong belief in there.

“We have some good people, some strong characters and they are in the position they are as a team because of how hard they are working. We have to give credit to this group.

“They work tirelessly day in day out and we’ve got to keep that going as nothing is achieved yet.

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“We knew we had a good group but we thought it would take a bit longer to click. So we are probably ahead of schedule. With time I do believe I can get this club where it needs to be. That’s the first quarter of the season done and we need to up a gear now.”