A play-off spot is within reach for the Stags with a win against Walsall potentially moving them into the top seven

A seventh consecutive home league victory could see Mansfield Town climb into the play-off places for the first time since August.

Winning eight of their last nine league games, the amber and blues have shot up into the promotion picture, in a place they should with such a confident and determined squad.

In fact, they are the most in-form team in League Two, having won their last five games, and look destined to rise up the league table even further.

The Stags took on fellow promotion challengers Swindon Town in midweek with Nigel Clough’s side pulling off an impressive 3-2 victory.

It only took Mansfield four minutes to break the deadlock as the ever-brilliant George Maris found the back of the net. A ball forward by Stephen McLaughlin found the path of Rhys Oates just outside of the penalty area. The forward then passed the ball onto strike partner Jordan Bowery, and with his back to goal, he laid it off to Maris for the midfielder to cooly finish into the bottom corner.

Ben Garner’s men did not give up easily and equalised just before the half-hour mark through the in-form Harry McKirdy. The Swindon forward ghosted his way past two challenges and fired his effort from a tight angle past Nathan Bishop at his front post.

However, a fantastic surging run from Oates saw the Stags win a penalty minutes later. Mansfield’s number 18 picked up the ball and ran all the way to the opposition box, only to be brought down by Akinwale Odimayo. Stephen McLaughlin stepped up to take the spot-kick and smashed the ball into the net, even though Robins goalkeeper Lewis Ward guessed the full-back’s intentions.

Maris, this time as the provider, assisted Bowery in the third goal perfectly as the host extended their advantage. Oli Hawkins’ header found the midfielder who skipped past two challenges and delightfully found the run of his teammate. The forward then lifted the ball over the goalkeeper to give his side a 3-1 lead at the half-time interval.

In the second half, Mansfield defended resolutely and allowed their visitors to very little until the 89th minute. Ellis Iandolo drove into the box unchallenged and scored from close range to create an intense final few minutes at the One Call Stadium.

With the Stags on high alert once more, they were able to see the game out and pick up another three points to move up to eighth in the league table.

Mansfield’s opponents this weekend, Walsall, have been on a poor run of form which has seen them only pick up five points from their last five league games.

The Saddlers, under the stewardship of ex-Portsmouth player Matthew Taylor, have had a very lacklustre season so far.

Sitting 15th in League Two, the West Midlands outfit need to pick up valuable points if they are to still be within a shout of the play-offs by the end of the season.

In their last league outing, Taylor’s side were well beaten by the relegation-battling Stevenage at the Lamex Stadium.

An awful start to the game saw Walsall concede inside the first minute of the match. As new Boro signing Luke O’Neill crossed the ball into the box, defender Rollin Menayese miscommunicated with his goalkeeper and tapped the ball into the back of his own net.

The hosts’ crosses were dangerous and they were rewarded yet again in the eighth minute. Jake Reeves crossed the ball into Chris Lines at the back post with the midfielder’s header wrong-footing Walsall goalkeeper Carl Rushworth and doubling Stevenage’s lead.

With 20 minutes to go, the Saddlers halved the deficit as Brendan Kiernan’s low effort beat Christy Pym to step up an exciting end to the game.

Stevenage were able to seal the win in added time of the second half as Jake Taylor’s rebounded effort found the back of the net and earned them a solid 3-1 victory.

Mansfield and Walsall have faced each other six times in League Two action with both sides picking up two wins and contesting two draws.

The most recent game between them saw the Saddlers run out 3-1 victors at the Banks’s Stadium. A brace from George Miller and a goal from Ash Taylor saw Walsall establish a comfortable 3-0 lead, and even though Danny Johnson put his name on the scoresheet in the 84th minute, it was too little too late for the Stags to claim any points from the game.

With Nigel Clough’s side red hot in form, it will be hard for Walsall to stop the amber and blues from picking up yet another league victory which could see them move into the top seven, something Mansfield players and fans have been craving for so long.

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