INTERVIEW: We needed this to happen

“I think that win is a big relief,” he said. “We’ve had a tough month or so and I’m glad we now have the three points under our belt.

“It was a tough game and it’s one where we had to grind it out. We started off really well but they came here and sat back. We had a few chances but we just don’t seem to be getting that run of luck at the moment.”

“You could see what it meant to everyone in the dressing room at full time,” he told us. “We’ve been coming in after every game, even when we’ve drawn, and we’ve been feeling really disappointed. We needed this to happen and I think we can look forward to the next few weeks now.

“I think the clean sheet was as important as anything else. If you’re doing that it gives you every chance of going on to win the game. We’ve kept them out and we’ve got our goal, so everyone comes away feeling happy. 

“You have to remember it’s been difficult for the fans as well because it gets really disheartening when things aren’t going your way. It’s demoralising for everyone connected with the club so we’ve all deserved a result like this. It’s still early days in the season and there are plenty of points to play for. We can start looking forward to it again.”

“I was pleased to score another goal because it’s been a tough month for me on a personal level,” he commented. “I’ve not been used or I’ve been sitting on the bench for a large portion of the games we’ve had. Nobody enjoys that so it’s been about picking myself up and going again.

“The goal was the kind any forward player likes to get. I’ve had a fair bit of joy from corners – I think I got a few from them last season – so hopefully it will be the same for me this time round as well. I particularly enjoyed this one because the lad who was marking me was touch tight and I couldn’t get any joy from him in the first half. 

“That was probably the only time I got anywhere near getting away from him and it was good to take advantage and make it count. It was against one of my old clubs and that’s always good. I managed to do it last year as well and I don’t think I’ll ever stop enjoying it.”

And on the arrival of a new manager, he said: “It’s an opportunity for everyone when a new man comes in, so I knew I had to take my chance when it was given to me at Mansfield. It was a good start for me under him and the gaffer told us all we had to treat the second half down there as the start of our season. I have to use this as the same for myself and it’s up to me to crack on from here.

“The manager has made a few subtle changes here and there and it’s been a really positive start. He’s looked at things like our training and preparation and you’d have to say that getting three points means it’s worked. 

“All he said to me before the Tranmere game was to carry on doing what I’d done last weekend. It’s early days for me confidence wise because it’s been a slower start than I would have wanted. I feel good but I’m still not 100% fit at the moment. That’s because I haven’t played enough football to get to the level I want to be at.

“I’m getting there and, if I keep getting in the team, fingers crossed I will only get better from here.  Results wise, we don’t want this to be a one off again. It’s a massive game at Hartlepool next week because they will want a win for their own reasons, but we want to carry this on. It should be one to look forward to.”