Lewis Brunt doubtful as Mansfield Town miss key defenders for big Crawley Town clash

But they will have Elliott Hewitt back from his ACL injury and hoping to play longer than the two minutes he managed at Wrexham on Friday.

Stags have six key defenders out with Lewis Brunt the latest casualty after Baily Cargill in the previous match.

“I would think Lewis Brunt could be doubtful,” said Clough.

“It's his ankle ligaments. He landed awkwardly after going up for a header. It's pretty sore.

“Baily Cargill has a problem after getting a knock on the outside of his knee. It's sort of week to week at the moment and seeing how he does.

“He is a very important player for us and we were delighted when we managed to get him with his experience.

“We didn't really see him playing left back so often.

“But he has filled in there and he has got us some very important goals.

“He is a big miss for us as are the other defenders like Calum Macdonald, Callum Johnson, Alfie Kilgour and George Williams.

“Callum Johnson might be another couple of weeks and Calum Macdonald can do a little bit of training and then his calf gets sore.

“So it may be just having him available if we need him in the last six games. But he is certainly not fit enough to start.

“Having seven or eight defenders out makes it difficult defensively in keeping clean sheets.”

Clough was very worried when the returning Hewitt was wiped out by an early James McClean tackle on Friday after 11 months rehabilitation.

“We were so relieved it was a facial injury in the end with a nasty gash on his lip,” said Clough.

“Some people may have misunderstood our reaction to that tackle. But it was the fact that it was Elliott.

“I do think the tackle was pretty bad – a yellow card was probably the right decision on that occasion.

“I think he's jinxed us since he's come back. We've lost one game in which he lasted 90 seconds and the next one, when he's raring to go, we get called off.

“But Elliott can't wait as much as anyone for these last six games, which will be like cup finals for him.

“After nine months out doing nothing, when you get to those last two months, you are so close you can't push it with a cruciate ligament injury and you have to do the full nine months.

“You've done all the running and you're ready to play, but you still have to wait that full term.

“The last thing you want to do for the sake of a week or two is have a major setback.

“Then all of a sudden you're out for a month, or two or worst case would be if you did it again.”

Stags should at least have striker Will Swan back after he was also hurt at Wrexham.

“Will Swan should be okay. He got a nasty whack in the face which gave him quite a bit of a black eye, temporarily ruining his magnificent good looks,” smiled Clough.