Cobblers left 'angry' but 'proud' after feeling a sense of injustice following Stags loss

Midfielder Alan McCormack revealed an 'angry' Cobblers changing room was left feeling a sense of injustice after Saturday's 2-1 defeat to Mansfield Town.
Alan McCormack takes issue with Peter Wright's decision to award Mansfield a penalty and send off Sam HoskinsAlan McCormack takes issue with Peter Wright's decision to award Mansfield a penalty and send off Sam Hoskins
Alan McCormack takes issue with Peter Wright's decision to award Mansfield a penalty and send off Sam Hoskins

Northampton not only felt aggrieved by the decision to send off Sam Hoskins and award Mansfield a 10th minute penalty, they also believed they did enough to get something out of the game.

Vadaine Oliver was close with an bicycle kick and Harry Smith threatened a couple of times in the second-half but the visitors won out as Willem Tomlinson added to Danny Rose's early spot-kick.

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"I thought we reacted extremely well given we were down to 10 men," said McCormack. "We created the much better chances and we fought with everything we had and that shows the spirit of this group of players here.

"We can't take the defeat too hard. We're more angry than anything else because we knew we were the better side and created the better chances and probably deserved at least a point.

"But it wasn't to be. They got the penalty and then caught us on the counter-attack but we're proud of how we showed our belief and our spirit as a unit."

McCormack also revealed the Cobblers were spurred on by the motivation of bailing out their team-mate, especially as they felt Hoskins was hard done to by referee Peter Wright.

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"I think the red card ruined the game," he added. "We've had a look at it back and it's outside the box and I don't think it's a foul either.

"But there are times in games when decisions go against you and you've just got to get on with it.

"As a group of players we wanted to do it for Sammy because we felt it wasn't a red card, but the ref made the decision and that was it and we have to get on with it and move on."