Mansfield count the cost of crazy schedule ahead of rare home game against Cobblers

Mansfield Town will feel relieved just to be returning home this weekend following a crazy run of fixtures.

Tuesday’s 2-2 draw with Hartlepool was Mansfield’s eighth away game in their last nine and fifth in a row. They face two more trips after Saturday, making it 10 away games in 12 outings.

And that run appears to be taking its toll on Nigel Clough’s team, who were without several players in midweek due to knocks, including Newcastle United loan star Matty Longstaff.

“Keiran (Wallace) got a knock on Saturday so he couldn’t start,” said Clough. “Stephen McLaughlin has had a calf problem for several weeks now, he had to miss one sooner or later.

“Matty has a foot injury and Rhys Oates is just carrying knocks. We didn’t want to start Jamie Murphy, we were very close to not doing so but he said he felt okay.

“But his hamstring has tightened up so we have lost him for Saturday.”

Mansfield are on a 10-game winning run at home going into Saturday's game.

“We’re looking forward to it,” said the boss. “To think that we’ve got two more away fixtures next week after Northampton which will be seven out of eight games on the road. I don’t think any team’s done that in recent history in football at any level.

“We’ll do a little bit of training here and there, but it’ll be minimal, literally just preparing for the games, getting your rest in, getting your recovery and getting back out on Saturday and having a go at Northampton, then going to Forest Green and doing the same.

“It’s a mental challenge as much as physical, you’ve got to get ready for these last nine games.”