Stags travel to The Breyer Group Stadium to take on Leyton Orient in another tricky test for the amber and blues

Mansfield Town manager Nigel Clough will hope that the recent home draw against Rochdale has given his side a bit of confidence to turn their recent form around.

After five straight defeats in all competitions, the Stags were on a downward trajectory after winning their opening two league games.

The Nottinghamshire club have conceded 14 league goals so far this season making them the joint-worst, alongside bottom of the table Oldham Athletic, in terms of keeping the ball out of the net.

However, after only conceding once against Rochdale and keeping relatively sound in defence, Mansfield must continue the level of discipline that saw them finish last season on a high note.

A clean sheet may be something that instils confidence into the side and that could have happened against the Dale last weekend if it wasn’t for another error from another defender.

Kellan Gordon looked to bring the ball out by was robbed by Matt Done as he made his way into the box. He squared the ball into Danny Cashman as the forward tapped it in from close range.

Clough’s men were able to equalise through substitute Danny Johnson as he scored for the second time in as many games.

The Stags forced their way into the box through the sheer grit and determination of skipper Ollie Clarke. The midfielder pulled the ball back into the forward’s path and he made no error in finding the bottom corner.

Mansfield Town manager Nigel Clough praised his central defender, Ferrand Rawson and Elliott Hewitt, after the draw against Rochdale and told the club media that they are working hard into eradicating the mistakes.

“When you’ve lost four league games on the spin, then players are going to be tentative. Results knock the stuffing out of you a little bit.

“We’ve been talking to the players and the only way we do that [turn around recent form]is to stop giving goals away and [today]we go and give another schoolboy goal away.

“Nobody is doing that in the opposition teams. We’ve had to work unbelievably hard to get an equaliser or create anything.

“We’re trying to drill into the players, no chances, no mistakes, but players keep doing them.

“I thought the two centre-halves [Farrend Rawson and Elliott Hewitt] were good and Bish [Nathan Bishop] hasn’t had an awful lot to do today. He was very competent with what he did and the defence was very good.”

The test ahead of the amber and blues will be another tough one as they face second-placed Leyton Orient at The Breyer Group Stadium.

Orient’s last defeat came on August 24th where they were defeated 2-0 by Harrogate Town. From that point, Kenny Jackett’s side have not lost in their last five games and will look to extend that good run this weekend against the Stags.

Bristol Rovers were the last team defeated by the O’s with the London club beating the Gas 3-1 at the Memorial Stadium.

A trio of first half goals from Leyton Orient’s Harry Smith, Theo Archibald and Aaron Drinan more or less sealed the deal for the visitors.

Brett Pitman was able to score from the penalty spot in added time of the second half but Jackett’s side’s clinical edge proved too much for the Pirates.

The Stags don’t have a favourable head-to-head record with Orient as they’ve only been able to pick up two wins out of the 12 previous encounters in League Two. The London club have only lost one League Two encounter against Mansfield at their home stadium which puts them in good stead ahead of this game.

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