Still admits he was going to substitute Whalley

Luke Rooney was readied on the touch line to come on, before Whalley took Stags keeper Sascha Studer’s poor clearance, set off for the byline and fired in a cross shot that arrowed into the top corner.

That saw Rooney sent back to the bench and Whalley went on to bag a second with another superb individual attempt.

When asked if it was the winger he had been planning to take off, Still said: “We were. We had planned to play Shaun for about an hour, because he hadn’t had too much football and I wanted to be sensible with him.

“But when he got that goal it gave him another lift, gave him another level, so I thought we’d leave him on.

“Out intention was to play him for an hour, so what do I know?”

Whalley himself had noticed movement on the bench but hadn’t known he was the intended substitution, as he said: “I’ve seen someone getting ready but didn’t know it was me for certain.

“Obviously if the gaffer was doing that then fair play to him, but luckily I’ve scored just before he was going to bring me off and then I’ve scored another one, which is perfect.

“Football’s a crazy game, one minute you’re up there, one minute you’re down there. Luckily its all gone right for me and the lads have got a 3-0 win.”

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