Mansfield Town look to bounce back from Cheltenham defeat with win against Northampton Town

The Stags sit near the bottom of the table in 21st place, 13 points clear of last placed Stevenage. The amber and blues will need to pick up some points to revive their season in some sort.

Mansfield Town did not play last weekend against Swindon Town with their game postponed due to heavy rainfall.

Hosts Northampton Town played two games during the past week. They faced Cheltenham Town on Tuesday night, with the Robins coming out on top beating Cobblers 2-1 through Ryan Broom and Luke Varney.

On Saturday, they faced Grimsby at Blundell Park and dispatch them with ease. A 3-0 win saw Callum Morton score twice and Charlie Goode also contribute a goal to take all three points back to Northampton.

Team News

Midfielder Alex MacDonald and defender Matt Preston could be in contention to return to the squad after recent hamstring injuries.

The game will come too soon for wing-back Kellan Gordon, who is out with a back injury.

For the Cobblers, on-loan Arsenal midfielder James Olayinka could return to the squad, but they will be without fellow midfielder Shaun McWilliams.

Northampton Town boss Keith Curle feels his side are well-placed with ten games to go.

“We are in a good position and even in the games we’ve lost recently I don’t think there would have been too many complaints if those results had been reversed,” he said.

“The Cheltenham game could have gone either way, the Swindon goalkeeper made three excellent saves and against Port Vale we did everything but score.

“Every manager and every fan could look back at what ifs but our focus is always on the next game.

“There are going to be twists and turns with all the teams above us but what we’ve got to do is make sure we keep our own house in order.

“Teams have got to play each other and we’ve just got to focus on each game in isolation.

“Our aim at the beginning of the season was to finish in the top ten but once you are in that top ten anything can happen.”

Mansfield Town assistant boss Joe Dunne has revealed that the Stags may almost have a full roster of players to select from for this weekend’s upcoming fixture away at Northampton Town.

“We expect him [Alex MacDonald] to be back on the grass this week, so that’s a real positive for us,” he told iFollow Stags. “[Matt Preston] again, is back on the grass this week, so another positive.

“The key thing with both of those players being added to it [squad]is that it keeps up competition.

“With Kellan [Gordon], unfortunately, the process is a little bit slower with him. It’s important that we give him the best time possible to be able to showcase his talent.

“Unfortunately, he is a player we haven’t really had a chance to see anything of. But the positive is that we’re starting to clear out the treatment room now.

“The more we have to train with, the better. What we’ve seen is a real enthusiasm to learn and we’re seeing good improvements in our younger players as well.”

Head-to-Head

The teams last played against each other at the One Call Stadium in December – current boss Graham Coughlan’s first game in charge of the Stags.

A high-intensity affair ensued in NG18, with the game ending one goal apiece following a late goal from the visitors.