Stags skipper Ravenhill echoes boss Murray’s rage over Northampton penalty decision

Mansfield Town skipper Ricky Ravenhill backed up boss Adam Murray’s feelings on the stoppage time penalty decision that saw visiting 10-men Northampton steal a late 1-1 draw yesterday.

With John-Joe O’Tooole sent off on 36 minutes, the struggling Stags looked to have three precious safety points in the bag with 93 minutes played until referee Lee Collins decided Junior Brown had brought down Ivan Toney and Marc Richards slammed home the spot kick.

That prompted an angry outpouring from Murray after the game.

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To read Murray’s comments click HERETo read the match report click HERE“Everyone is devastated. The game plan worked, we did everything we wanted to do and we just feel robbed, I can’t put it any other way,” said Ravenhill.

“A crazy decision at the end cost us the three points just when we looked like we were going to beat one of the in-form teams.

“It was ridiculous. The ball had gone through Junior Brown’s legs and Junior had turned before him and their player jumped on his back. He wasn’t getting on the ball and there were players around him.

“The officials didn’t even know between them who was supposed to have given the penalty away. It was an absolute farce. One was saying it was Lee Beevers. It’s beyond words.

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“We had limited their chances all afternoon and they have good players in their team. I can’t express how frustrated I am to be honest.

“This feels like a defeat, though I may reflect on it differently when I look back. It just feels so unjust. It feels like an absolute kick in the privates to be fair.”

He added: “We looked comfortable for large parts of the game. Young Jack Thomas came in and looked fantastic on what was a bobbly pitch. He deserved his man of the match and everyone did their jobs.

“It’s all down to the boy himself now. He has the right attitude and the right application in everything he does and he has the world at his feet. He just has to maintain those standards.”

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Ravenhill was a surprise inclusion after pulling his hamstring in the pre-match warm-up seven days earlier and looking like he may face a lay-off.

“To be fair it was touch and go for today and early in the week I didn’t think I was going to make it,” he said. “But there was a massive improvement within the week and the physio department was fantastic and got me out there.

“I now need to do the right things and make sure I am ready for Tuesday.

“This result will hurt tonight, but we will come in tomorrow, do things right, and by Tuesday we will be in the right frame of mind again.”

Stags now prepare for the visit of Luton Town on Tuesday (7.45pm).