Forest Green boss Cooper laments missed chances

“We missed some brilliant chances today and if you come to a team as good as Mansfield and don't score gilt-edged chances then you are asking for trouble,” he said.

“I think we have had five gilt-edged chances.

“I thought Mansfield were better than us in the first half. We didn't get to grips with it, but I thought second half we were really good.

“I thought we were in the ascendency, but you can't come here and miss that many chances. You have to put them away.”

Tyler Walker netted the 69th minute winner as he beat keeper Lewis Ward to the ball to head home and Cooper said he was happy with the goal after arguments over a foul by Walker.

“There was a bit of controversy around the goal but for me the keeper should deal with it. It wasn't a foul,” he said.

“The only other question was whether it was offside. But I don't think it was. I think it was a good goal that we should have defended better.”

Ward made some fine stops otherwise, but Cooper said:“He made some good saves. But there is no point doing that if you are going to let one like that in is there?

“But he has been good and will continue to be good.

“I said to the players I can't be too hard on them as second half we were really good. Not many teams come here and create the clear cut chances we did second half.”

He added: “I must say the official for both team were really poor. They were totally inconsistent all day. It was all about the referee today. Not the players.”