Stags boss Holdsworth: We let down the fans

MANSFIELD Town boss David Holdsworth felt his players let down the bumper crowd that turned out to support them against struggling Gateshead.

The kick off at Field Mill on Saturday had to be delayed by 20 minutes to allow the 7,261 fans to cram into the ground for the Blue Square Premier clash.

It was a superb response to an initiative from the club's owners, to let fans pay what they wanted to see the game.

And with a ticket effectively costing just a penny, the crowd swelled only for Brian Wake's brace to inflict a 2-0 defeat on play-off chasing Mansfield.

Holdsworth said: "I am disappointed for the fans to witness such a poor first half.

"The chairman and board did a great job and it was an equally great gesture from the town and I am very grateful for that.

"The owners have always been pragmatic and innovative and when the players cross that line, they cannot do any more.

"Players have to take responsibility and hopefully they will now respond in the right fashion against Stevenage (tomorrow). If they don't, they will find themselves sitting with the rest of the 7,000 next time.

"They got a rollicking at half time and quite rightly so because the first half performance was inept. There were players there who did not show any character or any desire and they did not show what they could do. They need to look at themselves for that.

"I will not single anybody out but the first half performance was totally appalling."

The Stags were 1-0 down at the interval and conceded three minutes after the break as they lost only their second league match on home soil in 14 months.

"In the first half we could have been blown away and they had two or three very good chances. We were far below the standard I expect and the criticism I aimed at the players was quite correct," added Holdsworth.