Mansfield Town manager Nigel Clough says the next three matches, beginning with tomorrow night’s clash at Carlisle, will be ‘absolutely pivotal’ for Stags’ season.
A trio of fixtures against the Cumbrians, Tranmere Rovers and Salford City complete Mansfield’s February schedule.
The club currently sit sixth in Sky Bet League Two and whilst the gaffer feels the upcoming matches won’t ‘decide our season’ he adds that they are likely to have a sizeable impact in Stags’ hunt for a top seven finish.
Speaking in a news conference at RH Academy this afternoon, Nigel said: “[They’ll be] Absolutely pivotal. It [the sequence of the next three games] won’t decide our season but it can have a pretty big say.
“The next three, especially against teams in and around us, two away from home and then Salford at home in ten days’ time so nine very important points up for grabs.”
Saturday’s 2-0 victory at home to Gillingham made it four league matches unbeaten. Forward Lucas Akins, who has two in his last two home matches, impressed again at One Call Stadium.
“We think that [striker] is his [Akins’] best position,” said the boss.
“With him being so versatile if we need him in a wider position, as we saw at Bradford in the second-half playing wing-back, that is what we’ll do.”
The manager provided the latest on the injury front ahead of the trip to Cumbria.
“Nobody is coming back in time for Carlisle. They’re all coming on as expected.
“Callum Johnson is probably a little bit further ahead than where we thought he’d be – not as serious.
“We’ll see how he is. We’ll be looking more towards Salford [at home on 25 February] for him.
“His finger is still in a splint. We’ll make a decision on how he is after training today and then see if he’s fit to come back in.
“Until he’s 100%, we won’t risk him.”
When asked about Carlisle’s recent fine form, the boss said: “It comes from being solid defensively, that’s the platform.
“They break from there. We saw how dangerous they were at our place a few months ago.
“They get back in [to their defensive shape] and then the second they win it, they’re very affective in the way they play.
“They have three or four very good threats – very big threats as well.”
