Midfielder Jamie McGuire tips Stags to make a real impact in League Two

The battling midfielder grabbed the crucial second goal as Stags earned their first home win back in the League to end the first month of the season in ninth position, just a point off the play-off place, a tough first five games yielding eight points.

“It’s all about us now,” he said. “We believe we can push on and do really well this season. Home wins like this are important and then we need to grind out results away. We need to kick on now.

“I am loving it here. The lads have taken to me and are a great bunch. I won the Conference with Fleetwood too so I know what this is all about and the gaffer knows what I am about.

“We have a lot of confidence in the squad and the lads are playing really well.”

A poor first half saw the sides only separated by a Sam Clucas header – also his first goal for the club.

But when keeper Chris Lewington failed to keep out McGuire’s routine shot from 25 yards just after the break, Stags took control with a revised 4-4-2 formation and big Matt Rhead added a killer third on 72 minutes.

McGuire added: “We would be happy to win 1-0 every week so we will take that score today.

“We just stayed solid, battled well and scored three times. We played well once we had settled down and got the ball down.

“That was me all over. I like to be involved and wear my midfielder down.

“I was made up with scoring my first goal for Mansfield. The ball just sat up for me and I shot and it just bounced over their keeper and went in.”