The Stags travel to Essex to face Colchester United in first away game of their League Two season

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Mansfield Town face a 320-mile round trip as they travel down to the JobServe Community Stadium for their first away game of the season.

Nigel Clough’s men will be aiming to make it three wins from three games after their second victory of the season against Newport County.

Heading into the match, both sides picked up three points in matchday two with the Stags beating Bristol Rovers and the Exiles victorious over Oldham Athletic.

Mansfield took the lead in the seventh minute. George Maris picked up the ball on the edge of the box firing the ball into the bottom corner past the diving Joe Day.

A defensive error from the amber and blues saw Newport equalise only two minutes later. Robbie Willmott got the better of Farrend Rawson and dinked the ball over Nathan Bishop to level things up at 1-1 after an action-packed first 10 minutes of the match.

Ollie Clarke restored the lead for the Stags before the half-time interval. Mansfield’s captain received the ball on the edge of the box and raced into the area to smash a venomous shot into the back of the net with that goal being the winner in the end.

Mansfield Town manager Nigel Clough gave his thoughts on the Newport game and how the determination and desire got the Stags over the line once more.

“It was a tough game again, we’ve had two unbelievably tough home games in the league so far but I thought we deserved it again,” Clough told the club’s media.

“I still think, similar to last week, that we can play better. We can be better with and without the ball, but we’re finding a way to win.

“I don’t think we’ve reached our best, but we’ve won both games in the league, which is a very good sign.

“The last five or ten minutes, when we had to dig in, they didn’t create too many clear cut chances against us.

“That’s what we like at the moment, the determination and the resolve to see a game through.

“We’ve brought in a lot of new players who are still getting to know each other, so when you put that into context, it’s going to take a few months to really look as though we’re a well-oiled team. But the signs are there and the signs are good.”

Since League Two’s formation back in 2004, the amber and blues have only been able to beat Colchester once away from home and this game will prove to be another tough test for Mansfield Town.

The Essex side narrowly avoided relegation last season and a good end to the campaign saw them move away from the drop zone to secure a 20th-place finish.

Hayden Mullins’ side haven’t had the perfect start by any stretch of the imagination. After drawing 0-0 at Brunton Park against Carlisle United on the opening day of the season, they were knocked out in the first round of the Carabao Cup after a 1-0 defeat against Birmingham City.

The U’s welcomed Northampton Town to the JobServe Community Stadium last weekend and fell to another 1-0 loss.

In the 22nd minute, Jon Guthrie latched onto a Sam Hoskins free-kick and glanced a header goalwards for it to be saved by Shamal George, but the defender was able to put the rebound into the net and score the only goal of the game.

Northampton were down to 10 men after Fraser Horsfall was given a straight red for handball in the 84th minute, however, the Cobblers held onto the three points and handed Colchester their second defeat in as many games.

The Stags and the U’s have drawn their last two encounters against each other with Mansfield Town only recording one win against the Essex side in the last nine League Two meetings.

Nigel Clough will be hoping that his side can continue their winning league start with Hayden Mullins’ side still looking for their first three points of the season.

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