Stags Still Pushing For Top Ten Placing

Ahead of a tough run of matches to conclude the 2025/26 campaign, Mansfield Town can still finish in the top ten in EFL League One.

To do this however, they’ll have to do it the hard way, and, whilst hoping sides around them in the table drop points, the Stags have three of the top ten to play in their final four matches.

It begins tonight, when Nigel Clough takes his side to play-off hopefuls, fifth place Stockport County, a side unbeaten in their last seven league games, scoring sixteen goals along the way.

For Mansfield, drawn games have proved to be their downfall, with sixteen of their forty-two games overall going that way, winning just three and drawing eight of their last fifteen outings in the league, dating back to the start of February.

Three of those eight drawn games have arrived in their last four as well, the Stags winless in four as they, just about, keep their noses above water, and away from the relegation zone, whilst on the plus side, goalkeeper Liam Roberts, and his back line, have kept three clean sheets in the last five.

Signed in the summer from Championship side, Millwall, Roberts, who has had spells with his hometown club, Walsall, as well as Middlesbrough, replaced the released Christy Pym between the sticks, Pym signing for League Two outfit, Grimsby Town, a month later.

The decision to change shot-stoppers, and slightly alter the backline with the additions of Kyle Knoyle, Ryan Sweeney, and Luke Bolton, has helped push the Stags forward this season; shoring up elsewhere, Clough also added strength to both his midfield and attacking departments.

But it’s been his experienced, Stags veterans, that continue to come up trumps and, over the past few months, the likes of Lucas Akins (signed, January 2022 from Burton Albion), Will Evans (signed, August 2024 from Newport County), Rhys Oates (signed, July 2021 from Hartlepool United), and Louis Reed (signed, January 2023 from Swindon Town), have all chipped in with valuable goals.

English-born, Jamaican international midfielder, Jon Russell, has come good since his arrival in the January transfer window, chipping in with five goals of his own, in twenty appearances, including a brace in the Stags’ last outing, a 2-2 draw away to play-off hopefuls, Luton Town.

That was a game which saw the Stags throw away a two-goal lead, Russell netting twice in quick succession, just before the half hour mark; however, the Hatters struck back to level proceedings with goals five minutes either side of the break from Kasey Palmer and Shayden Morris.

Had the Stags won then they would be sitting in twelfth going into the final four games of the season, with games in hand on sides above them, as it is though, they’re fifteenth, but still in with a shot of the top ten.

Wins though, have been hard to come by, seeing off Reading 1-0 at home in mid-March (Louis Reed scoring), before putting four past visiting Northampton Town later that month (Will Evans and Lucas Akins with braces in a 4-1 win), and a 2-0 win away to Doncaster Rovers in early April (Oates and Russell netting).

Now though, it’s all about the run-in for Clough and his Stags; a couple more clean sheets will go a long way to helping the cause in those four outings but, as mentioned, three are in the top ten – Stockport (tonight) are fifth, Huddersfield (Saturday 25 April) sit ninth, and the season finale, after Peterborough United away (28 April), is a home clash with the Bluebirds of promoted Cardiff City (2 May).