Mansfield Town manager Nigel Clough has issued an update on the fitness of Stags’ absentees ahead of tomorrow evening’s battle at promotion rivals Northampton Town.
Stags have won four of the previous five matches – an impressive sequence of form for a side that has tackled the challenge of up to ten sidelined first-team players in recent weeks.
Last weekend’s scheduled home encounter against Leyton Orient was postponed due to the weather allowing for extra rest for the gaffer’s squad.
Speaking to iFollow Stags in a news conference this morning at RH Academy, Nigel said: “We didn’t want the game off having won four out of [our last] five but [there was] nothing we can do with the amount of snow that came down.
“It was a couple of days’ unexpected rest.”
When asked about Mansfield’s injury list, the boss said: “He [Christy Pym] trained last week so he hopefully will be available [for tomorrow night].
“Not sure [on Elliott Hewitt’s likelihood of a return], not sure if he’s going to train this morning [Monday] or not. We’ll see how he is.
“[He is] 50/50 at best I would say.
“[Callum Johnson] is going to be out a few weeks with the calf injury he picked up down at Wimbledon.
“Rhys [Oates] is doing a bit of training at the moment. It’s just whether he can sustain any contact really. We’ll take it cautiously with him but he is back in light training. We’ll see how he is this week.
“He’s [Louis Reed] coming on well but no return imminent. We’re looking at him running hopefully this week with a view to joining in [training] in the next couple of weeks.
“He [George Maris] can do a certain amount but he just can’t do that final sort of explosive sprinting. We’ll see how he is, it’s almost day-to-day.
“They’re not far away now, the majority of them, it’s just that final little bit and with 13 games to go, what we don’t want to do is push them and then if they’re out for four or five games they’re out for the season.
“He’s [Stephen McLaughlin] back running and he may well join in some time this week.
“It’s a huge blow [Will Swan’s ankle injury]. He’s been to see a specialist and he’s under Forest’s care.
“There’s a chance of him coming back maybe later on in the season but with him being a young player and somebody else’s player, we’ll certainly take our time with it.
“He wants to get to double figures [in goals] I think he’s on nine so that will give him an incentive to get back for the last few games maybe.”
Nigel has been impressed with tomorrow evening’s opponents so far this campaign.
“I think to come back from the disappointment that they had on the last day of last season, and then losing in the play-off semi-finals, speaks volumes of the character and the team.”
