If Mansfield needed any further motivation for defeating Darlington on Saturday, they were handed it as they arrived at The Northern Echo Arena.

Emblazoned across the outside of the Arena is a huge poster of Wembley hero Chris Senior holding aloft the FA Trophy, won when defeating Mansfield at Wembley in May, and the Stags can't have failed to notice the silverware on display in reception.

They will also have glanced at framed photographs from May 7 that were hung in the corridor, prior to the season, that leads to the changing rooms.

Though only three of the Stags' starting XI on Saturday also played at Wembley, and they've since had a change of manager, it would have been natural to use such factors in ensuring they were at their best against their FA Trophy foes.

Mark Cooper, however, believed his team's 2-0 defeat was nothing to do with the Stags being keyed up and instead everything to do with his side's lacklustre midfield.

So ineffective was it during a costly first 20 minutes, Cooper reckoned he could have played himself.

That was his observation, made only partly in jest, after seeing his team swept aside during 14 first-half minutes, when Mansfield scored twice.

The visiting supporters were chanting about how easy it was and a disappointed Cooper fumed: "We let the Mansfield midfield have too much time, I think I could've played if that's how the modern-day midfielder wants to play.

"We didn't turn up for the first 20 minutes and gave Mansfield too much respect. We'd spoken about the game not being as easy as Lincoln. The message had been to get tight and let Mansfield know that they were in a game. But we didn't do it."

On the back of last Monday's impressive 3-1 win against Lincoln, which came two days after beating Grimsby, Cooper, understandably, named an unchanged side.

In hindsight, Jamie Chandler was needed in midfield to limit the time on the ball the opposition enjoyed.

Adam Murray and Lindon Meikle dictated play from the off. After only five minutes, right-midfielder Meikle played the ball up the line for striker Matt Green, who cut inside Graeme Lee before unleashing a low shot past Sam Russell for 1-0.

Green, on loan at Darlington for a short spell in 2007, added his second when Louis Briscoe's free-kick was not dealt with and that allowed the unmarked striker to lash home from 12 yards.

"You watch any level of football, even in the Premier League or international football, you've got to compete," added Cooper.

"You can play your pretty football like we do, but you also have to win the battle, which is something we didn't do for 20 minutes. We let Adam Murray get on the ball and play.

"Once we got that sorted out we looked a totally different team and had we scored in that spell just before half-time I believe we'd have had a totally different result.

"We had them camped in their half and they were relying on Green's pace to try to get breaks."

Darlington improved as the game went on, though they received no assistance from referee Karl Evans.

He mistakenly failed to award a penalty when Briscoe barged over Paul Arnison, then infuriated Quakers by booking Arnison, who had handled the ball in the belief that he had just won his side a penalty.

"I don't really want to talk about referees because that seems to be all we're doing at the moment," said Cooper.

"Paul Arnison's was a blatant penalty, and then there were three handballs in their penalty area in the second half, ridiculous.

"But I'm not going to use that as an excuse because had we started the game properly we would have won, I'm convinced of that."

Kris Taylor suffered the ignominy of being substituted before half-time. He was replaced by Chris Atkinson, but the on-loan midfielder was responsible for missing an open goal from close range after keeper Andy Marriott had parried a shot from substitute James Walshaw.

Quakers put the Stags under severe pressure after the break, as Mansfield were content to sit back on their lead.

Liam Hatch was sent on as Darlington kept the visitors hemmed into their own half, winning 15 corners, but Marriott was rarely tested.

In fact, closest to goal in the second half was Green, whose shot beat Russell but rebounded off the inside of the post.

After being held at home by Alfreton a fortnight ago, four players were axed. Now all eyes are on which players Cooper drops this time as he is sure to make changes for Saturday's trip to Luton.

The manager added: "For the last hour we were the better team, but that doesn't win you a game.

"I have to now make sure that the personnel I think are responsible don't play, or I make sure that they know if they do play again the same thing doesn't happen. It's going to be a massively tough week in training.

"At this level you have to constantly keep training players because they win two games and all of a sudden think they're Real Madrid."

Matchfacts

Goals: 0-1: Green (5, cut inside from the right past Lee and shot across goal inside the far post), 0-2: Green (14, collected Briscoe’s free-kick around 12 yards from goal and fired in off the upright)
Bookings: Arnison (33, handball); Kendrick (45, foul), Futcher (75, foul)
Referee: Karl Evans (Manchester) – upset Darlington with his refusal to award a penalty, despite some clear infringements by Mansfield 6
Attendance: 2,647
Entertainment: ***

DARLINGTON (4-3-1-2)
7 Russell: Made several saves and not at fault for either of Mansfield’s goals;
6 Purkiss: Another steady display from the right-back who may have been playing his final game
6 Miller: A typically defiant last-ditch block late on prevented Paul Connor from scoring
5 Lee: Sidestepped by Green which allowed the Mansfield striker to open the scoring
5 G Taylor: Cheaply lost the ball on the touchline late on which almost led to a goal;
6 Arnison: A handful of passes went astray, though he should have been awarded a firsthalf penalty
4 K Taylor: Hauled off before the break in a like-for-like swap following an impactfree run-out
7 McREADY: Offered Darlington something going forward with his willingness to attack, surprisingly subbed;
7 Rundle: Didn’t see as much of the ball as in Monday’s win over Lincoln, but a threat when he was in possession;
6 Bowman: Lost the ball occasionally when played as a striker before being switched to right-wing
5 Campbell: Subdued performance from the striker, though he did come close with a long-range effort at goal

Subs
Atkinson (for K Taylor 40): Missed a chance to drag Darlington back into the contest when he shot wide of an empty net from six yards 5
Hatch (for McReady 59): Showed plenty of determination in closing down defenders, but had little impact in terms of providing a goal 6
Walshaw (for Campbell 63): Denied from inside the six-yard box by the Mansfield keeper 6 (not used):
Not used: Chandler, Bridge- Wilkinson

MANSFIELD TOWN (4-4-2): Marriott 7; O’Neill 6, Sutton 6, Futcher 7, Kendrick 6; Meikle 7 (Connor 68), Murray 7, Howell 6, Briscoe 6 (Worthington 88); Dyer 6, GREEN 8. Subs (not used): Redmond (gk), Naylor, Stevenson

MAN OF THE MATCH
MATT Green – two goals for the pacey striker who had a short loan spell with Darlington in 2007