After climbing into the Play-Off positions for the first time in the campaign following our narrow 1-0 win at Lincoln City, the month of March was widely dubbed as 'make or break' for our side.
We began the month by earning our fifth consecutive league victory, as Matt Green’s solitary strike settled a tight contest with AFC Telford United at One Call Stadium.
Midfielder Adam Chapman joined us on loan from Oxford United a few days later, and we picked up another three points with a 2-1 win over Woking on an ill-tempered night in Surrey.
Chapman then became our first player in over a quarter-of-a-century to net a hat-trick on his home debut, as we demolished Darije Kalezic’s struggling Stockport County.
Matt Green was our other scorer in a comfortable 4-1 success, and with our side in a rich vein of form, Grimsby Town rumbled into town for a clash between two Conference Premier heavyweights.
Nerves were frayed and nails were bitten as we locked horns with the Mariners, but it was our side who ultimately came out on top.
Substitute Matt Rhead headed our opener, which sparked jubilant scenes amongst the Stags faithful, before Adam Chapman’s exquisite wonder-strike sealed yet another victory.
Our ninth straight win then came at Forest Green Rovers, where well-taken chances by Lindon Meikle and Lee Stevenson fired us to the league summit for the first time.
A waterlogged pitch put paid to our trip to FA Trophy Finalists Wrexham, whilst heavy snowfall also resulted in the postponement of our scheduled home clash with Macclesfield Town.
In the meantime, title rivals Kidderminster Harriers took full advantage of our enforced break by collecting maximum points from clashes with Newport County and Southport.
Therefore, by the time Nuneaton Town visited North Nottinghamshire on Tuesday 26 March, it was imperative that we extended our winning streak by another match.
Despite Matt Green seeing a spot-kick saved, Louis Briscoe's deflected long-range drive meant that we closed the gap on the Harriers to just a single point.
We ended March by recording an incredible 11th straight league success, courtesy of Luke Jones' well-driven effort on the hour-mark in a 1-0 win at Tamworth.
Also in March:
- Manager Paul Cox won the Blue Square Bet Premier ‘Manager of the Month’ award.
- Our youth team kept alive their FCYA title hopes with a 7-1 win at MMU.
- Jamie Hand joined Ryman Premier League outfit Margate on a short-term loan.
- Defender Greg Taylor was signed on an emergency one-month loan from Luton Town.