It’s difficult when you’re trying to be a footballing side and competing with that, says Mansfield Town boss

Danny Rose had given the visitors the lead at a wet and windy Rodney Parade but County claimed a point thanks to substitute Shawn McCoulsky’s equaliser on 69 minutes.

The leveller came from a Ben Tozer long throw, which was flicked on by Mark O’Brien and volleyed in by McCoulsky.

And Evans (below) was pleased that his team managed to survive what he saw as an aerial bombardment from the hosts.

“You’re never pleased when you don’t win a game, but we’ll take the point. It is a tough place to come,” said the Stags boss.

“You can understand why they are sixth in the league.

“With those long throws as well they are the longest ball team I’ve seen in a long time, but it’s very effective for Michael [Flynn] and his players. They know their jobs inside out.

“It’s very difficult when you’re trying to be a footballing side and competing with that.

“But my players stood up brave and if anything we probably go away disappointed we’ve not won the game.”

He added: “We switched off for their goal, which was the disappointing aspect as, other than that, my goalkeeper has only had to make a couple of saves.

“He throws it as far as many people can kick a cross and they play to it. It’s how they put you under pressure.

“We worked on defending it Thursday and Friday and said it’s not about dealing with the first ball – it’s the second phase that leads to the goal.”

The wind and rain caused extra problems but Evans praised the new pitch at Rodney Parade.

“In the first half the wind had subsided and the pitch had held up extremely well to the rain – credit to Newport for the job they’ve done,” he added.

“Second half, though, the weather changed and the wind and rain started going into our goalkeeper’s face. Credit to the players – they stood up to it.”

Flynn (above) felt his side deserved all three points and insisted that they should have been awarded more than one penalty.

“We were by far the better team,” said the Exiles boss.

“I thought we dominated, especially in the second half, and their keeper was man of the match.

“We should have had three or four penalties for shirt pulling and we conceded a sloppy goal,” he added.

“I’ve spoken to the referee at half-time, in a respectful manner, and I said he had to keep an eye on it.

“He said he would but they kept getting away with it.

“It was bizarre. It happened that many times and I don’t know how they kept getting away with it.”