Alan Marriott is only too happy to commit his future to a Mansfield side he thinks can challenge at the top of the Blue Square Premier over the next couple of years.

The Stags' good run of form under new boss David Holdsworth is likely to have come just too late for them to have a chance of reaching this season's play-offs.

But goalkeeper Marriott, 30, believes it has set the club up well for a strong push next season and beyond. As a result he is expected to sign a one-year extension to his existing contract today, keeping him at Field Mill until 2011.

"I have been speaking to the manager about it over the last few days and it is agreed in principle and we just have to iron out a few bits and pieces," said Marriott.

"Hopefully it will be sorted today and it is something I am over the moon about.

"It is close to Lincoln and it is security in tough times with the credit crunch going on - it means a lot to me.

"It is a club where you straight away feel at home. It didn't work out here but I have come here and I know a lot of the players.

"It is a fantastic set-up and a great club who don't deserve to be in this league.

"But hopefully I can help them back into League Two."

Marriott kept another immaculate goal in the 1-0 win over Lewes on Saturday to collect his seventh clean sheet in nine matches since signing for Mansfield.

That included an important second half save from David Wheeler to keep the Stags in front after having relatively little to do until then.

He said: "It was another 1-0 and not that pretty but if you look at the way they played, 4-5-1 and hoping to nick something, it was not going to be easy.

"There was a lot of expectation and that adds to the pressure and people make mistakes they wouldn't normally make.

"But we deserved it in the end and it was a good finish from Nathan and it also kept our clean sheet run going."