Two separate Mansfield Town squads will travel to Matlock Town and Gainsborough Trinity tomorrow (Tuesday 25 July, 7.30pm) as Stags enter the final week of their pre-season programme.
Stags' boss Steve Evans told the local media on Monday afternoon that the first team squad will be split into two, with the emphasis placed on as many players as possible completing 90 minutes.
"Hopefully we can get 90 minutes into as many players as possible. It's two XI's that will represent the first team squad and each venue will have three or four of the under 21s backing the teams up," the Stags' chief said.
"If we need to make a change through injury – hopefully not – or through fatigue in the later stages, then the youngsters will be there to back it up. But primarily, we want it to be as many getting 90 minutes as possible."
For Matlock, they should have new additions Shaun Harrad and Todd Jordan available after they joined the club over the last couple of weeks.
In the Gainsborough camp, they currently have former Leeds United frontman Robbie McDaid on trial, and he could face the Stags on Tuesday evening.
Two players who won't be involved are Jack McGovern and Alex Wiles, who were both released on Monday.
Stags competed in a hard-fought pre-season friendly against Nottingham Forest on Saturday, during which 20 players were utilised.
Forest eventually ran out 4-0 winners, but Stags had their chances in the first half and would've gone into the break in the lead, but for some excellent last ditch defending by Forest.
Stags have played a number of first team fixtures since returning from the pre-season trip to Malta, during which Steve Evans' men triumphed 5-0 over a Malta Players' Association XI thanks to goals from striker Danny Rose, midfielders Will Atkinson and Paul Digby and a brace from frontman Lee Angol.
Since returning, Stags have been defeated 3-2 by a strong Sheffield Wednesday side at One Call Stadium, with defenders George Taft and Rhys Bennett getting on the scoresheet against the Owls. However, goals from Jordan Rhodes, Tom Lees and Lucas Joao sealed the victory for the visitors.
Boss Steve Evans then gave nine members of his first team squad 90 minutes for the first time as they won 4-0 against Evo-Stik side Stocksbridge Park Steels. Braces from striker Danny Rose and winger CJ Hamilton clinched the victory for the Stags in South Yorkshire.
An entirely different Stags' XI then took on Championship favourites Middlesbrough, in a match which finished in an entertaining 2-2 draw.
Stags raced into a 2-0 lead thanks to an own goal by Jonny Howson and a cool finish by striker Lee Angol, but Boro hit back through Dael Fry and Mikael Soisalo.
Matlock have enjoyed relative success in their pre-season campaign so far.
They held Championship side Burton Albion to a 2-2 draw on Saturday following goals from two separate trialists.
They defeated a mixed Sheffield United side 2-1 last week, thanks to goals from Marc Newsham and Nico De Girolamo, before the Blades scored a late consolation through a Nathan Thomas penalty.
Prior to that, they defeated Stags' under 21s 3-1 before recording the same scoreline against South Normanton.
Gainsborough have enjoyed four wins out of six pre-season fixtures so far.
They were defeated 1-0 against Rotherham United and 3-1 by FC Halifax last week, but have triumphed over Lincoln United, Grantham Town, Frickley United and Winterton.
Both matches are pay-on-the-day fixtures and prices are as follows:
Matlock: Adults: £10 | Concessions (pensioners and 16 & under): £6.50 |
Children 12 and under: FREE
Causeway Lane, Matlock, DE4 3AR
Gainsborough: Adults: £8 | Concessions: £4 | Under 16s: £2
Northolme, Gainsborough, DN21 2QW
We'll be publishing live text commentary of both matches on our twitter feed and on the match centre on mansfieldtown.net.
To access our twitter feed, head to twitter.com/mansfieldtownfc. The match centre can be accessed by clicking on the link for the fixture by going to our fixture list.
A report of both games will be published on www.mansfieldtown.net after the game and full reaction will be available to view on mansfieldtown.net and iFollow Stags.
