Palmer starting to blossom for Stags

Ollie Palmer can’t wait for tomorrow’s game at Morecambe to come around as he finally enjoys a run in the Mansfield Town side.
Mansfield Town's Ollie Palmer  -Pic by:Richard ParkesMansfield Town's Ollie Palmer  -Pic by:Richard Parkes
Mansfield Town's Ollie Palmer -Pic by:Richard Parkes

The young striker is forming a powerful partnership with man-mountain centre forward Matt Rhead and said: “It’s been a long season for me and I have learned an awful lot. Now the fans are starting to see what I have learned being put into my game and I am working hard for the side.

“He (Rhead) is fantastic to work alongside. He is a very strong, unique centre forward. He wins most of his headers and has a fantastic touch.

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“My confidence is growing. At my previous club I would have a go from anywhere, but it always takes time to grow that confidence.

“I think I have grown up a lot. I understand the game a bit better. There is still a lot to learn and I am not the finished article.

“I didn’t have a pre-season with the club and I was chucked in at the deep end. The gaffer has had to nurture me. But it has been a fantastic season and I have enjoyed every minute of it. If I can get better next season who knows what is going to happen?”

Palmer came so close to getting his head onto Adam Murray’s free kick that beat Ross Worner to secure Stags a 1-0 home win over AFC Wimbledon last weekend.

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Palmer admitted: “I didn’t really get a touch but I did put the keeper off a bit and made him hesitate. It was Adam’s first goal of the season so I will let him have it.

“I don’t think Morecambe have won for a couple of games so they will be desperate to pick up the three points at home.

“We just want to win as many games as possible, as we have all season, and finish the season on a high.

“A lot of the boys need new contracts and their performances will help bring that to them.”

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Palmer is not worries about some of the adverse comments about Mansfield Town’s direct and physical style of play.

“We work hard and we stop teams playing,” he said. “We like to press on the front foot and not allow teams to play around us. If we do what we do well we know we can come out on top.

“I watched Man United this week and they played long balls against Bayern Munich. Sometimes that’s the way you’ve got to play. But at times this season we have played some fantastic football. We have played well and not got a result.

“It’s fair to say that being a bit more direct has got us results, which is very important at this time of the season.”

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Palmer was almost an instant club legend, but failed to bag a golden last minute chance in the Chesterfield derby two weeks ago and said: “I was gutted not to score against Chesterfield. It would have been fantastic to get all three points and it would have been nice to get the acclaim from it. But it’s not about me. It’s about the team.”