Mansfield Town boss hails Aaron Lewis wonder goal in big win at Accrington Stanley
Lewis sidefooted a first time finish from just inside the Stanley half as he met a clearance from the keeper with a stunning long range finish into the empty net.
It even surpassed David Keillor-Dunn’s brilliant first half overhead kick, while George Maris wept home a second soon after.
“All our goals were quality but obviously Aaron Lewis’ was a stand-out one,” said Clough.
“You don’t see goals like that too often throughout football, never mind at this level.
“We were right behind it and we thought it was on target.
“It was just height wise whether it was going over the bar or going to dip under. “Everybody seemed to stop in the stadium and everything seemed to freeze for a second or two, then it hits the net. It was an incredible finish.
“I know the other two stand out for the quality of the finishes, but the second goal was the best in terms of team play though.”
He added: “It is a brilliant result, though some aspects of the performance we have to improve on.
“We showed patches of being how we were a few weeks go before all the injuries.
“The clean sheet was important too, even late on we didn’t want to concede. Baily Cargill got in a great late block to preserve that.
“I thought James Gale did very well for his first start of the season.
“And I think that is the best bench we have had in two and a half years, despite the players we have missing. I had nor problem putting any of them on at any time.
“Some of the players were moaning about the heat but I told them they had not been to Accrington in Decembver or January as it’s difficult for other reasons to come here in the winter months.
“It was warm but the pitch was lovely. We got those two goals ahead and it’s even warmer for the opposition.”
Stags now have a free week before heading for Colchester and Clough said they hoped Ollie Clarke, George Maris and Calum Macdonald would be fit to play having picked up knocks in today’s win.
