Silly mistakes cost Mansfield Town dearly again in Port Vale defeat

After a battling 2-2 draw, in which Glover felt Mansfield were the best side, Stags lost a penalty shoot-out for the fifth time in 2019.

With a massive game at home to Cheltenham looming on Saturday, Glover said: “On the night I thought we were the better side, but we’re gifting people goals.

“If you’re playing well and not winning, you have to look a bit deeper. Saturday is a massive game, but if we can play like we did in the second half, we’ll be a threat to teams.

“I thought we deserved to win. In the second half I thought we were in control and had some nice periods of play.

“I think we could have been a bit more ruthless in the final third. I thought we played better in periods of the game, but it’s about turning those spells into goals.

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“We should have got a second goal to kill the game. If we'd scored it they were dead on their legs. We were dominant at that stage and I couldn't see them scoring.

“Ultimately, a mistake cost us and let them get back into the game, but people will learn from it and we’ll help them with that. You have got to do the basics when the ball comes into your box.

The night once again ended in penalties heartbreak as CJ Hamilton and Mal Benning failed to score.

“They took some decent penalties and we didn’t,” admitted Glover.

“We do practice penalties, we work with them.

“The five lads put their hands up to go and be brave to take them, but on the night, we didn’t manage to convert the penalties and they did.”

Glover added: “I think you’ve seen in the performance tonight that the dressing room is fine.

“The performance level was fine and going 2-1 down – if there wasn’t character in the dressing room – we’d have conceded three or four.

“It's a great game on Saturday and the players will be itching to get back out there and get a result for the club.”