In-form Mansfield Town striker Swan excited for big Easter weekend clashes as promotion push hots up

Stags are at Wrexham on Good Friday and host Accrington Stanley on Easter Monday and Swan said: “It is a big weekend for us.

“But every game at this stage of the season is important, so we won't treat the Wrexham game any differently. We will go there with the objective of getting three points.

“The big games are always enjoyable to play in. Being on Sky as well there will be a lot of people watching. It's exciting, but we will treat it like any other game in this run towards the end of the season.

“The dressing room mood is very positive. We're trying not to get ahead of ourselves. We're taking it one game at a time. We know every game is important and the sooner we string a few wins together, the sooner we can get it wrapped up.

“This is only my second or third year playing in the league and my first time being involved in any sort of promotion push, so it is very exciting for me.”

Swan struggled for form in the first half of the campaign but has now hit his stride with eight goals in 11 games to take him into double figures.

“I found it quite tough,” he admitted.

“Obviously, after doing quite well when I was on loan here last season and then coming here permanently, not hitting the ground running like I was expecting to put me on the back foot and knocked my confidence a bit.

“I know I have the ability to play like that so it was about not getting too frustrated and losing my patience, just knowing it was just a matter of time before I started to hit the net again.”

He continued: “I seem to have found a bit of form since the start of this year thankfully.

“I am just happy I am back getting more game time and helping the team out in any way I can.

“I think it's just been about getting a run of games. And I think that first goal against Wimbledon boosted my confidence and I have started finding the net again.

“Getting more time on the pitch has allowed me to get more chances – and obviously the more chances you get, the easier it is to score goals.

“You walk onto the pitch with more confidence when it is going into the back of the net for you. When you're not scoring it feels like you're not going to.

“Once you get a run of two or three goals it feels like every time you play you will score.

“Coming into the end of the season when every game is crucial it's really good I have managed to start scoring at this time of the season.”

Mansfield Town are seeing the real Will Swan at last, says first team coach Andy Garner.

Swan was in fine form on loan from Forest last season and made the move permanent in the summer.

And, after a disappointing first half to this season he has suddenly hit eight goals in 11 games to reach double figures and hit form at the perfect time with promotion beckoning.

“At the minute we're seeing the real Swanny and why we signed him. He is a good player,” said Garner, a former striker himself.

“Over the last couple of weeks I have had the opportunity to have a little sit down with him and talk to him as we simply needed more from him.

“We needed more in terms of holding the ball up from him and more scrapping and fighting. We know he can do all the running – he has pace about him and we know can score us a goal.

“But it was his whole game that needed to improve a bit and I think in the last few games it's really shown.

“He's been fighting for the ball, and it drops for you with genuine challenges. We need that - you just can't let centre halves have or win the ball easily.

“You have to be fighting and scrapping, and he is doing that now and his all-round game at the moment is really good.”

On Swan's poor first half to the campaign, Garner said: “In the first few months he had very few opportunities.

“We chose other personnel rather than him, and that is not very easy for him.

“Also, he couldn't buy a goal. As a forward, if chances are being created and you don't put them away it's on your mind all the time – even in training.

“He will be the first to admit that even in training he was putting them wide or the keeper was saving them.

“But you have to keep encouraging him to get into those situations in the box as it will turn eventually.

“Through his hard work and his professionalism he has got through that and now it's paying dividends for him. He is playing well now and scoring goals.”