Mansfield Town boss Adam Murray slams ‘glass half empty’ brigade after big win over Crawley

Stags roared to their first home win of the season in style and were in full command at 2-0 before Crawley had Gwion Edwards sent off for a crude challenge on Nicky Hunt on 50 minutes, after which Murray’s men added two more goals and could have had more.

Murray was hoping to see his players get deserved praise for their display, so was left disappointed by some of the ‘glass half empty’ brigade.

To read a match report click HERE“It was a good performance, I wouldn’t say it was a great performance, but it was one in which we made a good team look average,” said Murray.

“I’ve obviously listened to a lot of the reports over the weekend and the disappointing thing to come out of it for me is people have said you beat a poor Crawley team. They were poor for one reason, let’s get that right, we made them poor because we were excellent.

“They were not poor in previous weeks when they drew with Portsmouth, they weren’t poor when they drew with Wycombe and they weren’t poor when they went to Cambridge and beat them at their place 3-0.

“So let’s have a little bit of respect for our own team and a little bit of a view on it that our glass is half full. They didn’t turn up poor – we made them poor. So it’s about time we started giving our own a little bit of credit.”

He added: “It winds me up because we’ve got this thing at this place where we have a habit of looking through a half-empty glass.

“Like I say they are not a poor team, Crawley. They were poor on Saturday because we made them, and that was because of our preparation and how hard the boys worked so they deserve the pats on the back for that.

“At times you have to give credit where it’s due. It’s easy to criticise, so when credit is due, let’s give it.”

Some people have also suggested the win came only because it was against 10 men. But Murray said: “It was over by then. We dominated the game from start to finish from two seconds into the game where we won the first tackle.

“The game was ours on Saturday and that was credit to the boys. Tactically, technically, physically and psychologically we were on it on Saturday.

“This team is a work in motion – it’s building blocks we keep putting into place. Because we won 4-0 on Saturday does that world beaters? No it doesn’t. We’ve taken another small step on our process. “When we get to where I need us to be and where I believe we can be, then those kind of performances will be consistent. That won’t come from 14 new players in six or seven games, that will come over time.”

Murray will now begin the task of grounding his players for the tough task ahead at Kenilworth Road on Saturday.

“Our feet go back on the floor today. There’s posters all around the ground today saying the only focus now is Luton. Saturday has gone now and we go to a very tough place on Saturday and we want to win.

“I hope they’ve enjoyed their weekend. But they walk into the building this morning and they will be fully aware that I want to win at Luton.”