Murray sorry for defeat

Mansfield boss Adam Murray apologised for his side's first-half showing in their 2-1 defeat to Morecambe at the Globe Arena.

Murray blasted the struggling Stags after a sluggish opening 25 minutes which saw Morecambe score both their goals through Paul Mullin and Kevin Ellison. Although Simon Heslop's free-kick pulled one back, Morecambe were able to hang on for over an hour. He said: "I want to apologise and I think the players should say 'sorry' as well for a shocking start to the game which showed why we are where we are in the league. "We were indecisive, our decision making was poor, we were naive and we just didn't do our jobs. It is something that has hurt us all season and we need to sort out. "We have been working hard for weeks now on defending set pieces and letting people know their roles but once again they didn't carry out the instructions and were made to pay. "We couldn't have painted things any clearer to them but people just didn't do their jobs and it has been the same story all season and we are massively frustrated. "We have told the lads that they must be ready for the battle now and we have to dig in and stick together and improve together." The Shrimps took the lead 16 minutes in with Mullin scoring his fifth goal of the season. The home side produced a well-worked corner with Jamie Devitt finding Shaun Beeley, whose shot from the edge of the box was turned in from close range by teenage striker Mullin. Morecambe continued to create chances with Mansfield keeper Lenny Pidgeley saving superbly from Alan Goodall before the hosts added a second after 25 minutes. A long ball into the Mansfield box found Ellison and he produced a superb first touch and turn inside his man before flashing a left-foot shot past Pidgeley from eight yards out. Mansfield pulled themselves back in to the game with a well-taken free-kick by midfielder Heslop, who curled the ball over the wall and into the top left-hand corner of the Morecambe goal. The second half saw Mansfield dominate possession but waste a string of good chances. Morecambe manager Jim Bentley said he was delighted to see his side pick up their first win of 2015. He said: "We were brilliant in the first half-an-hour or so and if it hadn't have been for their goalkeeper we could have been four or five goals up. "But once they got back in the game you could see the nerves creep in and we started to give the ball away cheaply and let Mansfield dominate the possession. "That is what happens when you haven't won for a while and we were almost made to pay in the end because they played some good stuff and had a few chances. "But, to their credit, the lads hung on and gave it their all again and we can all be happier this evening. We have now passed 40 points and are looking up again which is a much better place to be."