Nigel Clough urged Mansfield to be more ruthless following Saturday’s 3-0 League Two win over Morecambe.
A Lucas Akins brace and a Davis Keillor-Dunn goal wrapped up a win in a game Mansfield controlled throughout.
“It was pleasing to win our first home game and keep a clean sheet,” he said. “I wasn’t happy that it was only 1-0 at half-time.
“We created lots of chances and it took us too long to take the lead. We can’t afford to be so wasteful.”
Things may have been different for Morecambe had Tom Bloxham done better with a good chance after seven minutes.
Akins gave Stags the lead in first-half stoppage-time after getting on the end of a Keillor-Dunn flick-on.
Mansfield doubled their lead just after the hour when Keillor-Dunn slotted home after going through on goal and Akins added another from the penalty spot with three minutes remaining after Rhys Oates was hacked down.
Clough added: “Its nice that we created so many chances and had intent, that’s why the strikers have got to get us goals in that period.
“To get most of the players in so early in pre-season was important and you see the players gelling.
“It was a good time to score, as much as it gave us a lift it also flattened the opposition.
“It was a perfect result to start our home league campaign. It is nice to have kept another clean sheet. We played well and kept the ball well and have played to a high standard in the last two weeks – we just needed to score sooner.”
Morecambe boss Derek Adams thought his side deserved to be beaten.
“We have faced a very good side in Mansfield,” he said. “They are vastly experienced and have been going a few years to try and get themselves out of this league and you can tell that in their play.
“I thought we dealt with the threat of Akins and Oates to start with. They had a bit of the ball and we couldn’t get the ball to our front two, it was difficult.
“In the end they deserved to win, there is no doubt about it – because of the quality they have.
“The two up front came up against two experienced defenders and we didn’t get the ball to them enough.
“We gave a goal away right on half-time after giving a foul away, we gave away a penalty and we conceded the ball for their second. All in all they didn’t have loads of chances, neither did we but they deserved to win.
“Going in 0-0 would have been perfect for us. It set us back.”
LA Galaxy 2-1 Minnesota United: Pec late show gets hosts back to winning ways
LA Galaxy maintained the pace at the top of MLS' Western Conference as Gabriel Pec's double earned a 2-1 win over Minnesota United.
Having opened the scoring in the 25th minute, Pec was on hand to tuck home the winner from close range in the 90th minute.
Teemu Pukki had come off the bench to restore parity for Minnesota, who looked set to snap a five-game losing streak.
But it was not to be for the Loons, as Pec's late show ensured the Galaxy returned to winning ways on the back of their defeat to Los Angeles FC in El Trafico.
The Galaxy are level on 43 points with LAFC and Real Salt Lake at the top of the West, while Minnesota are 10th.
Data Debrief: Loons' losing run rolls on
It is now six successive MLS defeats for Minnesota, which marks their worst-ever run in the competition since they joined the league in 2017.
Pec, meanwhile, continues to steal the show for the Galaxy. His two goals came from four shots, three of which he got on target, while the winger also completed six of his seven dribble attempts.
Neville says England have tournament know-how, but warns Netherlands a step up
England have displayed their tournament know-how by battling into the Euro 2024 semi-finals but must improve when they meet the Netherlands, says Gary Neville.
The Three Lions have reached their third semi-final in four major tournaments under Gareth Southgate, having beaten Switzerland 5-3 on penalties following a 1-1 quarter-final draw on Saturday.
They had reached the last four at just two of their previous 17 tournaments (World Cup or Euros, since 1968) before Southgate's 2016 appointment.
Despite overseeing England's emergence as serious contenders, Southgate has been fiercely criticised for the team's tepid attacking performances in Germany, with their total of 4.36 expected goals (xG) bettered by 10 already-eliminated teams.
Most pundits believed the Three Lions improved after changing to a 3-4-3 formation against Switzerland, and Neville feels the system suits Southgate's squad.
"I've felt we've had a better balance, the team suits it. It's more fluid, a more relaxed nature in the football, particularly in the first half," Neville told Sky Sports News.
"In the second half we went back to recycling the ball safely, but in the first half we played some half-decent stuff. Extra-time was then very safe, very cautious.
"But this team has tournament know-how, they get to semi-finals. There's fortune along the way with the draw. We've played Serbia, Denmark, Slovenia, Slovakia and Switzerland.
"If you said you'd get those five teams in a major tournament you'd be very happy. We haven't played at our best but it's a tournament that seems to be moving that way.
"Spain have played some fantastic football but the other teams have been quite unspectacular but getting through."
While Neville feels Southgate has transformed the team into seasoned tournament campaigners, he says Wednesday's semi-final will be their toughest test yet.
"It's a good sign for a team, you have to get through difficult matches – but you can't rely on that all the time. My feeling is you'll get caught out eventually if you don't step up your performance level," Neville added.
"Saturday was definitely a step up in terms of our balance, it was a step forward, now we have to step up again against the Netherlands on Wednesday. We'll have to step up quite a bit because they have some serious players."
Saka penalty compared to Pearce's moment of redemption by emotional Lineker
Former England striker Gary Lineker was moved to tears by Bukayo Saka's penalty against Switzerland, comparing it to Stuart Pearce's iconic spot-kick at Euro 1996.
England were staring at a quarter-final exit from Euro 2024 until Saka scored a wonderful equaliser to cancel out Breel Embolo's opener 10 minutes from time.
The Arsenal winger – whose saved penalty cost England in the Euro 2020 final against Italy – then stepped up to convert in the shoot-out as the Three Lions scored with all five of their attempts.
Jordan Pickford saved from Manuel Akanji as England won just the fourth penalty shoot-out in their history, teeing up a semi-final clash with the Netherlands for Wednesday.
Lineker was part of the England team beaten on spot-kicks by West Germany at the 1990 World Cup, when Pearce was one of two players to fail to score, seeing his effort saved by Bodo Illgner.
Pearce then memorably scored in the Three Lions' next shoot-out, a victory over Spain on home soil at Euro 1996, and Saka's moment of redemption brought those memories flooding back for Lineker.
Speaking on The Rest is Football podcast on Sunday, Lineker said of Saka's kick: "I did actually get a little bit emotional. It reminded me so much of the Stuart Pearce moment.
"Pearce missed in 1990 when I played. I know Stuart, you know Stuart. He's such a diamond of a bloke and a wonderful football player.
"Then we played against Spain, penalty shoot-out, in 96 in the Euros, and he stepped forward again.
"I was in the crowd thinking, 'please, please score, don't miss', and everyone in the crowd was thinking the same thing, there was a silence that was palpable.
"When he knocked that in, I cried. I was sitting there in the crowd, crying tears of joy. I don't cry when I'm sad, I cry when I'm happy, and it reminded me of that.
"Saka took the penalty that basically lost us the Euros, and then to come back, a young lad having scored a brilliant goal to drag us level almost immediately… he's amazing!"
Saka's goal made him just the third Arsenal player to score for England at the Euros, after Tony Adams in 1988 and Theo Walcott in 2012, and the first to do so in a knockout game.
He is also the first Arsenal player to net for the Three Lions at both the World Cup and the Euros, having scored three times in Qatar two years ago.
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