WINGMAN Neil Wainwright made his debut for the Stags as a second half substitute in the 2-1 home defeat by Grimsby – just 24 hours after coming to Field Mill.
The experienced Wainwright left Darlington on loan to try to find first team football and possibly a new club.
He said after the defeat – the Stags' 10th in 11 home matches since their last Field Mill win against Peterbrough on Boxing Day: " It was tough coming on in a game such as that . . . I watched Grimsby play Darlington last week, they are very good and I thought we coped very well with them.
"I've seen a lot of teams come to Darlington this season and I would say the majority of sides are a lot poorer than what I have seen today."
Wainwright (30), last season's player of the year at Darlington and with more than 250 League matches to his name, talking about the Stags' terrible home run added: "I don't know how we have lost it.
"Sometimes it is just a case of getting that one win. It is easier said than done I know, you need a little luck, like today hitting the bar and then having them kicked off the line . . . sometimes you need that little bit of luck."
And on the relegation battle, Wainwright told BBC Radio Nottingham's David Jackson: "The five point gap can be two on Monday. If we play like that for the remainder of season we will pick up more wins than defeats.
"For much of season I have been training and not playing . . . I like a challenge and fighting off relegation is a challenge.
"This is my seventh year at Darlington and sometimes you can be at a club too long. I will probably be moving on in the summer.
"Coming to Mansfield is a great opportunity to play some games. I want to help the club stay up."
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