George Maris hoping for minutes against the Magpies as he bids to win back his Mansfield Town place

Injury, illness and good form by other players have restricted his game time this season so far and he said: “I hope tonight is a game I can get a lot of minutes in.

“I've not played a 90 for a long time. So If I can do that or close to that I think it will do me good and set me up for the coming months.

“We need games like this. I think a lot of us need this game to get some minutes in the tank.

“Hopefully we can then take that into the league.

“I have been a bit in and out and my season has been a bit stop-start.

“I think I started the season well, played a few games, then picked up an illness which put me out for a couple of games and then started trying to get my way back in again.

“I have been trying to get back to playing my best stuff, which I don't think I've really done so far.

“The hamstring injury I picked up a couple of weeks ago put me out for Port Vale and I have found it hard to get back into the team.

“But there is plenty of time. I think I have shown over the years that I can do it, so I just need to get back on the pitch and play as many games as I can.

“Not getting straight back in is to be expected as the lads have produced some good results.

“So I have been trying to help the best way I can off the bench and hopefully I will start a few games when I can down the road.”

Overall, Maris is happy with the start Stags have made to the League One campaign and he has been impressed by the new faces and competition for places.

“We have made a bright start to the season and picked up some good results as well as some not so good ones,” he said.

“We are happy with where we are at the minute and just need to push on.

“There is definitely more quality in the squad this season when you see the lads we've brought in.

“I think going forward we are definitely more of a threat.

“And we have stayed strong at the back, despite all the injuries. Everyone who has stepped in has done their jobs.

“There is competition for places everywhere throughout the team, which is good.

“We have players who can play all three midfield positions or as a No.10, and we will be getting injured players back hopefully soon, so there will be even more competition.

“So you know if you are playing you are doing something right. You're not just in there because there are injuries.

“The more we get back the better it will be for the team.”

If Maris impresses tonight he will hope for a first team recall for Saturday's mouthwatering game at Luton Town, which is the first game for new Hatters boss Jack Wilshere.

“It's a big game,” he said. “They have come down the leagues consecutively.

“I've played there before and you never get an easy game there.

“So it will be good for us to go there and try to show what we can do against a big team with good players. It will be a good test for us.

“When I was first at Cambridge in League Two we played them all the time.

“I've been around these leagues since then while they have been to the Premier Division and back – two different journeys.

“They have had some ride, but they are back at our level now.

“I know they have a new manager, so they will want to start with a win. We have to try to stop them doing that.

“It has made it harder for us as their fans are lifted and their players are lifted. They will all be up for it.

“We have to go there and probably ride the storm for the first 15-20 minutes as we know they will be trying to impress. But after that, hopefully we can play some stuff.

“Playing big clubs like this was enjoyable last season after promotion.

“You go to some of the stadiums and it's such a big difference from League Two.

“Some of the clubs in this league are massive.

“Most of the away games you go to, you look around the stadiums and it makes you realise how far we've come to be playing in these sort of stadiums.”