Manager Praises Importance of ‘Magnificent’ Brilliant Star Player
Boss Nigel Clough highlighted the importance of ‘magnificent’ centre-back Aden Flint as his side extended their unbeaten run to 13 games with a 1-1 draw at Gillingham today.
The 34-year-old joined the club in August and has performed superbly in an unbeaten backline ever since.
Speaking to iFollow Stags post-match, the gaffer said: “He’s [Flint] been magnificent.
“The profile of player that we’ve signed in the last sort of year or so has been not what he is, an older player, an experienced player.
“There’s always room for one good one like that.
“Once you lose the likes of Alfie Kilgour and Elliott Hewitt, someone like him has been absolutely invaluable.
“He’s just about played every minute since coming on at Crewe.
“In both penalty areas he’s been immense.”
On this afternoon’s point in Kent, Nigel said: “I thought we had control in the first-half without creating too much.
“In the second-half I thought we had control and created situations (to score).
“The way we played second-half – coming to second in the league – I thought it was very encouraging.”
Mansfield’s equaliser sparked outrage from Gills’ players and fans. Davis Keillor-Dunn provided a typically cool finish after Ollie Clarke caught the hosts’ backline sleeping with a quick free-kick.
“We got the ball and took a quick free-kick,” said the boss.
“I thought that was still in the rules. You don’t stop, you play to the whistle.
“I didn’t think there was anything against the rules in it. I just thought it was quick thinking.”
Overall, the gaffer viewed his team’s display at Priestfield Stadium positively.
“We would have taken a point after two minutes when we went 1-0 behind.
“Once we got the equaliser, I thought in the second-half in particular we were very very good indeed and created enough chances to win the game.”
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