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Cox calls for perspective

Image: Paul Cox: Bemused by boo boys

Paul Cox heard boos from a section of Stags supporters as Mansfield held off a second-half fightback from Carlisle to win 3-2.

New Carlisle boss Keith Curle, returning to one of his former clubs, looked on as his charges were taken to pieces in the first half and came in 3-0 down at half-time. But the Cumbrians rallied superbly, dominated the second half, netted twice, and missed other chances - which had some of the home fans furious with their players. However, Cox said: "To say anything about our second half would be disrespectful to a very big club who were in League One last year. "Our first-half performance was good but could have been better, though we scored three very good goals. "But I told them at half-time that the 3-0 lead could be a false sense of security and the first 15 minutes would be important. "Carlisle showed a great resolve and desire to get back into in the match. Sometimes you have to congratulate another team on their performance rather than pick holes in your own team. "We have just won a football match and moved just outside the play-offs, yet it all feels like doom and gloom. "Sometimes this club doesn't seem to enjoy winning. We have just won two home games on the bounce this week. We are Mansfield Town, not Manchester United. Sometimes you just have to remember where we are and who we are. "These lads are working extremely hard for this football club and we are enjoying it. If other people don't want to enjoy it that's up to them. "Take a look below us at the bigger clubs with bigger resources. "The boys' work ethic and desire is tremendous and when we were under the cosh late on they were throwing themselves in front of crosses and shots. I am very proud of them all and this football club should be proud of them." Mansfield were in cruise control at the break with a 3-0 advantage and lively Rakish Bingham was the two-goal star turn. He had forced a save from Mark Gillespie in the opening minute before the Stags grabbed a fourth-minute lead as Lee Beevers flicked a header over the goalkeeper from a Liam Marsden cross from the right. Home defender Martin Riley then had to produce a crucial block after 23 minutes to deny Anthony Sweeney in front of goal after the home defence had switched off. But Bingham made it 2-0 with a far-post volley from a tight angle from another Marsden cross, this time from the left, after 37 minutes, and it was 3-0 four minutes later as Beevers made a great interception on the edge of his own box and broke towards the edge of the Carlisle area, before setting up Bingham for a low finish from 16 yards out. Carlisle came out gamely for the second half and produced a superb spell of pressure, rewarded after 61 minutes when substitute David Amoo crashed home Billy Paynter's square pass from 10 yards out. Amoo then forced a save from Dimitar Evtimov and also somehow guided a six-yard header wide after 67 minutes as Mansfield rode their luck. That ran out in the 71st minute as Kyle Dempsey was allowed to carry the ball along the edge of the box before finding space for a fierce shot across Evtimov to make it 3-2. The home fans could barely watch as United threw everything at them in the closing stages, but the equaliser remained elusive. However, new Carlisle boss Curle was delighted with what he saw in the second half and promised he would turn the club's fortunes around. "I will work with them morning, noon and night, double training sessions," he said. "The second half showed there is potential there. "If I can get these players going and the supporters onside, we can be a force to be reckoned with. "I want to give the players confidence. I will give them a remit to go out there and express themselves. "My teams play with no fear. They will make mistakes, but they will be honest mistakes. "At 3-0 down at half-time I told them all I wanted from them was to see if they could come off at the end, look me in the eye and tell me they'd had a go. Fair play to them, to a man they did that. "In the first half we looked intimidated, shy, and as if we didn't want to make any mistakes. "But in the second half the lads gave everything and our supporters making the long journey home will take heart from that second half."

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