Nottingham Forest keeper relishing challenge on loan with Mansfield Town

New Mansfield Town goalkeeper Jordan Smith believes he has experienced a whole season's worth of emotions in just two games on loan from Nottingham Forest.
HULL, ENGLAND - JANUARY 27: Nottingham Forest's goalkeeper Jordan Smith clears the ball out of the box during the Emirates FA Cup Fourth Round match between Hull City and Nottingham Forest at KCOM Stadium on January 27, 2018 in Hull, England. (Photo by Ashley Allen/Getty Images)HULL, ENGLAND - JANUARY 27: Nottingham Forest's goalkeeper Jordan Smith clears the ball out of the box during the Emirates FA Cup Fourth Round match between Hull City and Nottingham Forest at KCOM Stadium on January 27, 2018 in Hull, England. (Photo by Ashley Allen/Getty Images)
HULL, ENGLAND - JANUARY 27: Nottingham Forest's goalkeeper Jordan Smith clears the ball out of the box during the Emirates FA Cup Fourth Round match between Hull City and Nottingham Forest at KCOM Stadium on January 27, 2018 in Hull, England. (Photo by Ashley Allen/Getty Images)

The youngster, from Kirkby, suffered a 1-0 defeat in his opening game with yeovil before making two crucial saves in an important 1-0 win over Crawley.

“Usually you have to play a full season before you can use the cliché ‘a rollercoaster of emotion’,” he smiled.

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“But I have only been here a week now and I think I have had that already with the loss here last Saturday and then the highs of the late winner on Tuesday night which was exactly we needed.

“It wasn’t the dream debut I wanted against Yeovil with going a goal down and not being able to get anything out the game.

“But on Tuesday we managed to put it right and we had that jubilation. So already I’ve had that rollercoaster which every footballer likes as a cliché.

“The two games affirmed to be there are not going to be any easy games in this league. The table doesn’t lie. But we had a Yeovil side who came and fought for their lives and executed their game plan on us well.

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“Fortunately we didn’t have much time to lick our wounds as we put it right on Tuesday, which was perfect with a win and a clean sheet.”

Smith had little to do on Tuesday but his two second half saves were vital.

“That’s the life of a goalkeeper,” he said. “I don’t think I had an awful lot to do, but you’ve got to be alert and keep your concentration levels high.

“I know I am coming in behind the best defence in this league, who carry that record proudly, and it’s something I want to carry on and make even better.

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“So it was good for me to get a couple of decent saves in and I am so glad it played an important part and we managed to go on and get that winner.”

He added: “It’s incredible how high the standards are – not that I underestimated it. With the tempo and intensity the lads work at on the training ground, you can see it straight away.

“The chemistry is there between the centre halves, who look solid.

“League Two is exactly as I thought. It’s a scrapping league but its not without its quality.

“There have been balls coming into box that we’ve had to defend of real quality. So I am looking forward and relishing the games to come.”