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From relegation worries to promotion challenging, Mansfield Town have turned their season around and do not look like stopping anytime soon.
The current in-form side in League Two, the Stags have proven that the phrase ‘wins breed confidence’ could not be any truer.
After 14 games, the amber and blues were sat in 23rd place, but fast forward a couple of months, Nigel Clough’s side have been unstoppable picking up win after win.
There have been a couple of factors that have played a big part on Mansfield’s rise from the drop zone to the play-off places.
Suspensions and injuries to key players, going on a 15-game winless run are just a few things that saw Stags fans begin to worry.
However, the return of experienced Stephen Quinn, the signing of John-Joe O’Toole and dropping Oli Hawkins back to defence have since seen Mansfield gain confidence, hit the back of the net and fly up the league table.
Their most recent victory against Walsall on Saturday showed that even after a poor first half, a change in tactics or a substitution could make a big difference in the complexity of the game.
Injury to skipper Ollie Clarke forces Clough into a change at half-time
An enforced substitution at the interval saw Harry Charsley replace Ollie Clarke in midfield as Hawkins was moved up front alongside Jordan Bowery and Rhys Oates with O’Toole dropping back into the backline.
The ex-Everton midfielder had a poor start to the second half after making a few late tackles and giving away a free-kick, however, he grew into the game and repaid Clough with the opener.
Just before the hour mark, Elliott Hewitt launched a long throw-in into the box which was flicked on by Hawkins. As the chaos ensued inside the Walsall box, Charsley was there to pounce on the opportunity and give his side a vital 1-0 lead.
In the dying embers of the game, the 25-year-old linked up brilliantly with Bowery as the duo broke forward and confused the Saddlers defence.
After a couple of one-two passes, Stags’ number nine rolled the ball to Charsley who smashed his effort past Carl Rushworth to score his second of the afternoon and double the hosts’ advantage.
Clough’s side had to work hard for the win but in the end were thankful to goalscorer Charsley for his contributions off the bench.
In his post-match press conference, the Stags boss praised the midfielder as he became an unlikely matchwinner for the amber and blues.
“It [the substitution] was enforced unfortunately. Ollie Clarke was feeling his hamstring but you can’t have much more of an impact [than Charsley’s].
“We had a little dig on Tuesday night that the subs that came on weren’t quite at the speed of the game.
“I said to him to come on and win the game.
“That’s the sort of impact you want your substitutes to have. That just proves, you pick the eleven but it’s not always about [just] the eleven,” the manager said.
Togetherness, confidence and belief in each other played a massive part
Clough has created a side that can trust each other and the players know the individual roles they must fulfil to see the team succeed.
Game after game, the defending on display has been fantastic which has seen the amber and blues only concede 10 goals from their last 10 league games.
It was evident in the game against Walsall, especially that whether you are a defender, midfielder or attacker you must protect your goal at all costs.
George Maris perfectly displayed that in the 54th minute with the game still without a goal. George Miller cut infield from the right side and fired a shot goalwards with plenty of power. As the Stags players scrambled back, there was Mansfield Town’s number 10 to block the effort from going over the line.
The goalkeeping display of Nathan Bishop also kept the amber and blues in the game as the Manchester United loanee made a string of saves to deny Walsall getting a goal.
Holding onto his first clean sheet since the home win against Carlisle United at the start of December, the shot-stopper has not done much wrong and probably feels hard done by with the goals that he has conceded.
With that being said, the 22-year-old is playing EFL League Two football for the first time in his career and has coped well with the demands of the fourth tier.
A real test is up next for Mansfield Town
Probably the biggest test of the Stags’ league season is midweek’s game away at league leaders Forest Green Rovers.
The fixture will not only provide everyone whether the amber and blues have the promotion credentials but we will also know if they are able to beat the top team in the division.
It will not be easy for Clough’s side to come out on top against a very good Rovers side away from home, however, it is evident that the confidence is there and they will not go down without a fight.
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