Defender Lewis Brunt praises Mansfield Town's grit as Stags edge past plucky Swindon Town

Stags got off to the perfect start being being made to work for the win.

The promotion-chasers were twice pegged back by the plucky Robins before Will Swan bagged a timely winner midway through the second half.

“The lads got stuck in and you can’t take anything away from any player out there,” he said.

“We dug in and got important blocks and clearances in, especially at the end when they threw the kitchen sink at us.

“We knew it might be one of those physical games with lots of long balls, but we got the three points and that’s all that matters.”

Stags boss Nigel Clough admitted his relief at picking up three more crucial points.

“We always like to play well, but performances don’t matter now, honestly. All that matters are the points,” he said.

“The most important thing is that we’ve come out on top and got those three points because the teams around us all won and we have kept the gap the same.

“The players have to realise that every ounce of what they have got now, like all season, has to go into the final games.”

Swindon interim head coach Gavin Gunning rued a missed opportunity.

“The realism is we had a few very good chances and we didnt take them,” he said,

“Both teams had a load of chances and it could easily have been 7-7.

“There wasn’t anything between the teams, it is just lapses of concentration that have cost us.

“We have switched off and conceded as a result. It is all about learning and we have to build on the performance.”

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