Doncaster Rovers’ bogey man makes ‘better team by a mile’ claim after Mansfield Town draw

Maris struck in the 80th minute with his third goal in as many appearances against Doncaster to pull Mansfield level in the match for the second time.

Four minutes prior Joe Ironside had given Rovers a 2-1 lead against the run of play with his first goal for the club.

Doncaster led in the first half thanks to Tom Nixon’s stunning half-volley after 20 minutes but were pegged back in the 42nd minute when Louis Reed headed in from close range.

"It was scrappy at times, but they made it scrappy,” claimed midfielder Maris, whose goal helped the Stags stay unbeaten in their first four matches of the season.

"They were probably the hardest team we have played against this season. They tried to just stop us.

"In the first half it worked to a certain degree but the first goal got us back in the game.

"I thought in the second half we were the better team by a mile.”

Mansfield enjoyed the lion’s share of pressure after the break and finished the match with 21 efforts at goal, including one shot which was blocked on the line following a desperate goalmouth scramble.

"On another say we score three, four, five,” said Maris.

Still, they were almost punished for not taking their chances when Ironside prodded home from close range after Christy Pym couldn’t keep hold of Tommy Rowe’s effort from the edge of the box.

"We were always the better team, so the goal didn’t really affect us that much,” Maris said.

"One of the lads said ‘just keep on playing and we will get something’. Luckily I put one in the back of the net but any one of the lads could have done the same.”

Stags boss Nigel Clough was in agreement with his goal savour.

He said: “In the second half it was one-way traffic.

"Having lost their first two league games, they will be delighted with a point.

"The point was the least we deserved.”

After snapping a three-game losing streak against Mansfield, Doncaster will meet them again in less than three weeks, at Field Mill, in their first EFL Trophy group stage game.