Mansfield Town midfielder Mellis: We proved we can battle with the best

Mellis scored a fantastic 25-yard goal to open the scoring on 17 minutes, only to see an equally spectacular Jordan Houghton goal level it up seven minutes later. REPORT HERE.

But the Stags are now eight game unbeaten after matching the division's second-placed side and Mellis said: “You could see it we we were on it from the start today.

“They are a good team, but so are we and we proved we can go toe to toe with the best.

“When we do start finishing chances we will turn teams over three, four, five goals. We just have to do it now and stop talking about it.”

On his goal, Mellis said manager David Flitcroft and assistant Ben Futcher had been encouraging him to shoot more.

He said: “It came to me on the edge and Futch has been talking to me about shooting more. So I hit that one and I caught it right, so luckily it went in.

“I couldn't see if it was going in as (Ryan) Sweeney's big head was in the way to be fair, so I was looking round him!

“I think it's probably my best goal, apart from maybe one against Hull. I don't shoot that much from outside the box. But the gaffer and Futch have been telling me to shoot and today I did.”

On Houghton's equaliser, he added: “To be fair their boy caught it well as well.

“I don't think you see too many games with two goals like that.

“We got on top of them first half and, to be fair, we should have had a penalty as well.

“Second half was a bit more even and not too many chances.

“The first half was very difficult with the wind, but we just had to get on with it. Second half we could pin them in a bit more.”

Mellis had a three-game ban to contend with aftreb the pre-season brawl with Sheffield Wednesday but believes he is back better than ever.

“I've had a disappointing start with the suspension hanging over my head,” he said.

“I've got that out the way now. I've been working on my fitness through that period and I think I have come back fitter and sharper.”