Ollie hopes to hold onto his Stags shirt at last

Palmer is desperate to start the Chesterfield local derby on Saturday and said: “I hope I keep the shirt. Whether it’s injury or whatever, I have never yet started the following game after scoring a goal so fingers crossed I can hold onto my position.

“It probably wasn’t the easiest I’ve scored this season yesterday and it will certainly help me. I was talking to JJ (James Jennings) last night about having confidence. It is my job to score goals so this will definitely help me.”

Stags felt they were robbed of a win after Darryl Westlake was sent off for deliberate handball and the Cobblers levelled Palmer’s strike from the spot.

“We are disappointed not to win it but we would have taken the draw before the game,” said Palmer.

“We don’t think it was a sending-off. But the boys dug in really deep as they have done several times this season and all credit to them for that.

“The 10 men grafted and made sure we came away with something.”

Stags boss Paul Cox said: “Ollie is still a baby and anyone who expected him to come in and score 25 goals in his first season at this level was absolutely crazy.

“He is a young kid coming up from non-League. But he is better than Matt Rhead was at his age and, dare I say it, better than Jamie Vardy was at his age.

“He can only get better. Ollie has that raw potential. Today will give him a lot of confidence to go progress and score more goals.”