Can Mansfield Town keep free-scoring Swindon Town quiet?
The Robins have scored more goals than anyone and have the division’s top two scorers with Eoin Doyle having already hit 16 and Jerry Yates with eight.
“It will be a very tough test at Swindon, admitted Stags boss John Dempster
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Hide Ad“Richie (Wellens) has built a very attacking team there. I spoke to him in the early part of the season at a meeting we were at and he spoke to me about the trials and tribulations he’d had in his first role at Oldham and some of the challenges he was facing at Swindon.
“But he’s done an excellent job. It goes without saying they’re in good form and they’ve got some very good players.
“He already had some good players there when he joined ad he has added well.
“They are one of the best teams I have seen this season in the league. The league table shows that at this moment in time coming up to the Christmas period. So all credit to Richie and his team.”
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Hide AdHowever, on a run of six away games unbeaten, Mansfield will not go there with any fear.
“At home they are very well supported so it will be a good atmosphere, but we will be going there in a very confident mood as we are six unbeaten away from home,” said Dempster.
“Our home form has been poor but our away form is very good and we’re hoping to return with three points.
“We had a really positive week last week. We progressed in the FA Cup, we progressed in the Leasing Trophy and went and got a clean sheet at Macclesfield. If you’d said that at the start of the week, we’d have taken that.
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Hide Ad“Swindon away is a completely different challenge. It will be a nice pitch, they’re in very good form and they’re an attacking side. But it’s a challenge we will embrace and look forward to and we think we can come out on top.
“We’ll be respectful of them before the game but we think we can cause them a few problems.”
Otis Khan should be available again after a groin problem while a decision will be made late on Neal Bishop, who has had an issue with his back and also had tonsillitis.