Manager Nigel Clough plans to utilise his squad over the festive period as Stags prepare for four games in nine days, starting with a trip to managerless Sutton United this Saturday.
Mansfield have lost only once in the league this season and head into the contest in buoyant mood after a fine 3-1 win at Crawley on Saturday.
Stags face Sutton and then return to One Call Stadium on Boxing Day to play Grimsby. The amber and blue host Doncaster three days later before travelling to table toppers Stockport on New Year’s Day.
Previewing the busy fixture schedule, the manager said at a news conference today: “We’ll try and win the first game, that’s the most important thing of the four, at Sutton on Saturday. And then we take it from there.
“At the back of our minds and at the back of my mind as well will be the team for Boxing Day and then the 29th.
“As much as these things can go out of the window with an injury or suspension, anything, you must have something to say ‘if all goes well, this is the team to play here, there and everywhere’.
“I don’t think there’s going to be many who play four games in nine days, apart from maybe Christy [Pym].
“So we’ve got to be aware of that schedule, especially when we’ve only played one game in three-and-a-half weeks and then all of a sudden we play four in nine days so ultimately it won’t decide our fate, but there are a lot of points to play for in a short space of time.”
Stags have impressed so far this season as the halfway stage approaches, and Nigel said: “We have a good points total over the calendar year as well as this season, so hopefully we’ve been building and improving.
“I think we’ve improved this season to last and we need to keep showing that over the next four months.”
This Saturday’s hosts, Sutton United, parted company with long-serving manager Matt Gray this morning.
Nigel said: “It’s always sad when a manager loses his job, especially after what Matt’s done for the club; getting them into the Football League on very few resources.
“I know they’ve had a tough season. I don’t see them being that much different on paper [to last season], I just think it might be the strength of the league that’s caught them out this year.
“I don’t think they’re playing any differently or have changed much, there are just a lot better teams, which has meant they’re struggling down at the bottom. He should be remembered for everything he’s done for the club.”
Elsewhere, forward Will Swan returned to action for the reserves today following a bout of flu. Midfielder Aaron Lewis will continue to be assessed after tweaking his hamstring last week. Meanwhile, fellow midfielder Stephen Quinn will also be evaluated after picking up a knock.
