Pompy 0 Mansfield 0: Murray proud of Stags effort

The Stags boss felt it was his side’s best display of the season away from their home territory and was pleased with his team’s efforts to stick to a tactical plan to stifle Pompey and carry their own threat.

He said: ‘It was one of our best away performances of the season, one of our best tactical performances and at times we had to dig in and work.

‘In the first half, we dominated large parts of the game, our shape was superb, we created a few chances, but when you come to Portsmouth you’re expected, at times, to come under the cosh and they’re a fantastic team with a very good manager.

‘Our overall performance was fantastic, not just because it was an away performance but the way we carried the game plan out.

‘We spoke about the game Saturday morning that there would be periods where we would play without a striker and play with a false nine, so we’d have a front three that just drift.

‘We knew we could get at them in certain areas but all the credit needs to go to the lads for sticking to the plan.

‘I’m proud of my football club again. The fans were absolutely tremendous coming up against 16,000 Portsmouth supporters and still shouting their hearts out for what we stand for.

‘We didn’t want to come here and play five in midfield or five at the back.

‘We wanted to come here and have a right go and in the first half we had a lot of good possession and play around the box.

‘Second half, when they did start getting on top of the game, shooting into that big stand there with the crowd pulling them in, it’s hard to play against that and they do get on to the front foot.

‘You have to try and keep the reigns on the game.

‘I’m absolutely over the moon.’

– STEVE WILSON