Bristol Rovers are no pushovers at home warns Mansfield Town boss Nigel Clough

A poor away record of only three wins and two draws in 20 games is balanced sharply with a home record that is in the division's top 10.

Stags are currently four points clear of Rovers with a game in hand and eight points above the drop zone.

“It will be tough at their place, especially when they are down there the same as us,” said Clough.

“The important thing is to try to maintain the gap if we can.

“I think they are a different side at home than they are away.

“They got a very important home victory a couple of weeks ago and have their crowd behind them.

“When they have their home crowd behind them they are much more in people's faces.

“It will be a good challenge for us.”

Rovers return home after successive defeats on the road.

“They will have been disappointed by the manner of their defeat last Saturday at Crawley.

“I just want us to go and play, relax as much as we can and get something from the game

“One of their few away wins was at our place and it was a game we should have got something from so it would be nice to avenge that in some ways.”

With no game last weekend, Stags have had two weeks to rest up after the 2-1 home win over Barnsley ended the 14-game run without a win, but have still had eight or nine players in the treatment room.

“George Maris is coming on quite well with his Achilles, though it's still a little bit sore. He tried it last week and it was still not good enough to train,” said Clough.

“Dom Dwyer and Elliott Hewitt are coming on well and they are back on the grass this week after doing a lot of one to one stuff last week.

“We are hoping they might join in at some stage and we can see how they are.

“George Williams has a couple of knocks still.

“Matty Craig has kept trying to come back and he has been back at Tottenham this week for a fresh pair of eyes on him and he has done some work there.

“We are hoping he will be back with us towards the end of the week with a view to being available next week.

“He just kept feeling this twinge in his hamstring and you just can't be too careful with them.

“Every time he tried to train he had to pull out. We have to make sure it's right.

“If we lose a player with a muscle injury now then that is their season done.

“We just have to wrap them in cotton wool as much as we can in the last six weeks.”

Mansfield also had two players away on international duty with Lucas Akins back from Grenada's defeat in Russia and Ben Waine expected back before the weekend after helping New Zealand qualify for the World Cup.

“I think Lucas is still getting warm – it was about minus two in Moscow,” smiled Clough.

“He is back and trained yesterday.

“I am not sure on times difference but I think Ben leaves one day and gets back two days later.

“So we will have to see later in the week how he recovers from the journey and if we need him involved on Saturday.

“But it was brilliant he was involved and that they have qualified for the World Cup.”