Mansfield Town captain Louis Reed said he had been encouraged to take his historic match-winning free kick in today's sensational 2-1 FA Cup win at Premier League Burnley by regular free kick expert Stephen McLaughlin.
After Rhys Oates had wiped out Josh Laurent's first half goal, Stags won a free kick 25 yards out after Oates had taken a kick to the head and gone off for treatment.
“We had been working on free kicks in training on Tuesday and Stephen McLaughlin actually came over to me and said 'the way you hit them on Tuesday, this is you all day long'.
“That was a bit of added pressure but it was nice to see it hit the back of the net in front of the travelling fans.
Louis Reed celebrates his winner during the Emirates FA Cup fourth round match against Burnley FC at Turf Moor, 14 Feb 2026, Photo credit Chris & Jeanette Holloway / The Bigger Picture.mediaplaceholder image
Louis Reed celebrates his winner during the Emirates FA Cup fourth round match against Burnley FC at Turf Moor, 14 Feb 2026, Photo credit Chris & Jeanette Holloway / The Bigger Picture.media
“As soon as I saw it go up and over the wall I thought it is going to be an incredible save to stop it going in.
“So I was half on my way to the corner to celebrate and when the net rippled it's a great feeling.
“Everyone got involved including the subs. Oatesy was getting patched up from a cut behind the goal with blood dribbling down his head but he still managed to get in there too. It was a great feeling for everyone.
“Then it was bodies on the line and I thought we managed it really well. I think they just had one chance they should have put away.”
He added: “I am still struggling to put the whole occasion into words at the minute.
“It has been a great day all round for the lads, the staff, and the fans that have travelled behind the goal.
“It has just been a great day for the club.
“Burnley's players were great quality.
“Stuff you might get away with in the league you are not going to get away with against teams like this.
“Thankfully they did not put away the chances they had in the first half.
“When we came in at half-time and there was only one goal in it we sensed there was something there for us.
“Second half we came out, showed what we are about and got back into it.
“We had a game plan to press as high as we could and try to take it off them where we could, which meant we might get caught out every now and again.
But every man out there was incredible and put a great shift in.
“It was a superb header by Rhys to equalise.”
The win made club history as Mansfield have never beaten a Premier League side in the FA Cup before, though did dispose of top flight West Ham from the old Division One in 1969.
“It just adds to the day,” said Reed.
“The aim was to get through to the next round but, if we couldn't do that, then just show our quality in the game.
“We've managed to do all of that and to become record-breakers too is incredible.
“I just want to see how far we can go now. We have the belief from the last two rounds, having gone to two teams higher than us in the pyramid and done a job.”
Continue Reading