Stags aim to build on clean sheet and continue their unbeaten run as they take on Barrow at the One Call Stadium

Credit: Adrian Kita

Two points from two games would usually be seen as a negative. However, in Mansfield Town’s case, those performances against Rochdale and Leyton Orient respectively stopped the rot as the amber and blues were finally able to pick up some valuable points.

After a run of five consecutive losses in all competitions, the Stags needed to brave the storm and show their resilience.

That was achieved in its entirety after the news of a season-ending injury to James Perch. The defensive unit has been weak at the start of the season but two draws with only one goal conceded is certainly a positive.

Nigel Clough’s men have conceded the joint-most goals in League Two, however, a clean sheet in their last encounter with definitely go a long way.

Mansfield’s trip to the capital was never going to be easy as they faced high-flyers Leyton Orient who occupied second place in the league.

Facing an O’s side that has only let in seven goals and scored a whopping 16, only behind league leaders Forest Green in goals scored, was tricky, to say the least, but the Stags took on the challenge head-on.

As the game went on Orient made life difficult for the defenders in amber and blue. Tyrese Sinclair’s sending off in the 85th minute saw Mansfield down to 10 men for the last couple of moments, however, Stags’ shot-stopper Nathan Bishop was determined to secure his first clean sheet of the season and he did just that.

0-0 in a sense did not truly reflect the encounter as a lot of people would tell you that the O’s deserved the victory purely on the number of chances they had. If it wasn’t for the heroics of Bishop, the hosts would have been out of reach and triumphant but Stags’ number one prevented that from happening.

This weekend’s opponents, Barrow, have had a decent start to the new season with three wins, three draws and three losses. The Bluebirds are currently 10th in League Two and come into this game after recording an important 2-1 victory over Newport County at Holker Street.

The Exiles took the lead inside the first 10 minutes of the game through loanee Finn Azaz. A poor pass forward from goalkeeper Paul Farman was intercepted as Newport pounced on the opportunity. Alex Fisher slid the ball into Azaz with his shot going through the goalkeeper’s legs and finding the back of the net.

Just after the hour mark, the hosts were able to get the equaliser. A pullback from Jordan Stevens found Josh Kay on the edge of the area who fired his shot into the bottom corner of Nick Townsend’s goal.

With 12 minutes to go, another stunning strike from outside the box sealed the points for Barrow. Josh Gordon was able to find some space and unleash a vicious curler that sailed into the back of the net.

For the Bluebirds, it was their first win since the start of September and the fourth time they scored two or more goals this season.

In head-to-head stakes between Mansfield and Barrow, the Cumbrian outfit completed the double over the Stags in the sides’ first two meetings in League Two.

Prior to these two encounters, the two teams played regularly against each other in the Conference, now known as the National League, with the Stags beating the Bluebirds by huge margins of 7-0 in March 2012 and 8-1 in February 2013.

This game will mean a lot for both sides as they aim to look up rather than down. Mansfield will know that win against Barrow could move them closer to the top half of the table but the Bluebirds will bring their A-game to the One Call Stadium in order to improve on their 10th place after nine league games so far.

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