STAGS - No let-up as players fight for futures
MANSFIELD Town look unlikely to be involved in either the Play-offs or the final relegation battle now.
But, with 14 players out of contract at the end of the season, Stags boss Peter Shirtliff said there would be no complacency as he prepared for the arrival of Oxford United on Saturday (3pm).
After two successive wins, Stags saw their eight-match unbeaten run end in a 2-0 defeat in the mud at Bristol Rovers last weekend.
With just seven games to go that left them eight points adrift of seventh-placed Lincoln City, who have a game in hand, but a comforting 10 points clear of the drop zone.
"I don't know if we are safe or out of the Play-off recknoning, all I know is that I want us to go out there and keep winning games," said manager Peter Shirtliff.
"We will continue to prepare for each game. My players are not short of motivation for the last seven games.
"They want to get out there and win games as much as I do and many of them are playing for their futures."
Oxford's much-needed 1-0 win over Peterborough United last weekend opened up a seven-point gap between them and the relegation spots.
Shirtliff said: "We are looking forward to the Oxford game.
"Now they have Jum Smith there, he has bags of enthusiasm and experience and they come to us on the back of a win. It will be a very tight game."
Shirtliff is waiting on the fitness of three players.
Alex John-Baptiste missed the defeat at Bristol with tendonitis at the front of his knee and, although it is settling down, he may struggle to make it for Saturday.
Fellow defender Gareth Jelleyman tweaked knee ligaments at Bristol but should be all right while Adam Rundle suffered an ankle injury in a 1-0 reserve friendly defeat at Port Vale on Monday but also should be fine for Saturday.
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More Stags news in this weeks CHAD.....
After two successive wins, Stags saw their eight-match unbeaten run end in a 2-0 defeat in the mud at Bristol Rovers last weekend.
With just seven games to go that left them eight points adrift of seventh-placed Lincoln City, who have a game in hand, but a comforting 10 points clear of the drop zone.
"I don't know if we are safe or out of the Play-off recknoning, all I know is that I want us to go out there and keep winning games," said manager Peter Shirtliff.
"We will continue to prepare for each game. My players are not short of motivation for the last seven games.
"They want to get out there and win games as much as I do and many of them are playing for their futures."
Oxford's much-needed 1-0 win over Peterborough United last weekend opened up a seven-point gap between them and the relegation spots.
Shirtliff said: "We are looking forward to the Oxford game.
"Now they have Jum Smith there, he has bags of enthusiasm and experience and they come to us on the back of a win. It will be a very tight game."
Shirtliff is waiting on the fitness of three players.
Alex John-Baptiste missed the defeat at Bristol with tendonitis at the front of his knee and, although it is settling down, he may struggle to make it for Saturday.
Fellow defender Gareth Jelleyman tweaked knee ligaments at Bristol but should be all right while Adam Rundle suffered an ankle injury in a 1-0 reserve friendly defeat at Port Vale on Monday but also should be fine for Saturday.
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More Stags news in this weeks CHAD.....