Murray accuses Stags players of complacency after Bury home defeat

The Stags were sunk by the only goal of a very poor game and were locked in the dressing room after the game to hear Murray give them a piece of his mind.

“That was very disappointing,” he said. “I will accept bad games and I accept players having off days. What I won’t accept is a lack of application and desire.

“The majority of those players today went through the motions and it wasn’t good enough.

“I don’t know if a bit of complacency has set in with a few of them. But the job isn’t done yet.

To read a match report click HERE“It looked like some of them wanted to stroll around and not go that extra yard for the football club, and I won’t have that happening while I am in charge. They need to have a look at themselves.

“If we had lost three or four-nil, you hold your hands up. But on the day we gave the game to them and conceded a poor goal.

“It was an awful game and that goal probably summed it up.

“It hurts as, for the majority of time I have been in charge so far, these players have given everything for me and the club.

“They now have to pick themselves up and go again on Tuesday.

“They will be pleased they have another game on Tuesday as the last thing they’d want is a week with me at the minute. It needs to be put right. I expect a reaction and the fans expect a reaction.

“If I’d paid money to watch players not wanting to run around I would be angry.

“We have 10 games to go and need to get our focus back on Tuesday.”

One good thing for Mansfield was that, with other result,s the eight-point gap to the bottom two remained unchanged.

But Murray snapped: “I don’t care that the gap is the same. We set standards here and I don’t care who is doing what elsewhere. Those standards need to be maintained and they weren’t today. We have to take care of our own business and not be looking over out shoulders at what everyone else is doing.”

After a shock home defeat last weekend, Bury boss David Flitcroft was delighted to see his side bounce straight back.

“It was an immaculate, professional performance in terms of going 1-0 up and then being disciplined, organised and professional,” he said.
“The subs who came on were fantastic as was the way we locked the game down and managed the game down.

“We have won that with a squad. I am delighted with the result and with the performance. These are days that you have to embrace and enjoy.

“We didn’t allow Mansfield to build up any pressure. When we regained the ball we retained it quite well.

“There is so much energy in the team, it is as dynamic and athletic as you will see.

“They are all mobile and fluid in their running. I have got two full backs who want to join in, the midfield three were excellent.

“We have found really good form and a formula away from home.”

One of Bury’s best players was debut-making loanee striker Tom Eaves, signed the night before from Bolton.

“Tom carried us today and gave us something a little bit different,” said Flitcroft.

“I was delighted with his performance and with getting him yesterday.

“We have got a fantastic array of strikers but he is definitely different to what we have got.

“We have been working on getting him for three or four months. We wanted a big, mobile target man, but he is more than just robust. He has got a good touch, he is comfortable on the ball and retains it.

“He has had a fabulous debut today and been part of a clean sheet. At times he started us off today to get that clean sheet.”