LOMAS ON STAGS: Cavalry is just round the corner for depleted Mansfield Town after injury crisis

The awful news after scans that Rhys Oates – the club’s most dangerous striker – and veteran Stephen Quinn – the club’s most experienced player – both face spells sidelined was like a hammer blow before the Bradford clash.

Neither had seemed serious knocks and both were expected to be fit in time.

Boss Nigel Clough also filled his bench with John-Joe O’Toole, Baily Cargill and James Gale – all returning from injury and very short on fitness.

But with a blank week ahead at last Mansfield have a great chance to rest those who have been carrying the burden, get work into the legs of those needing it, and by the time Barrow visit on 23rd September hope to also have Aaron Lewis, Hiram Boateng and Callum Johnson back for selection.

In the meantime the unbeaten start to the season is going to come under intense scrutiny with two tricky away games.

Accrington Stanley away on Saturday sees them renew rivalries with a former bogey club, who have just come down from League One and have also made a decent start.

Then it’s away to a Colchester United side who have not started anywhere near as well as expected and will be smarting to get going. If Stags can stay unbeaten through those tests then the cavalry should be just round the corner.

It was fantastic to see 8,535 at the One Call on Saturday – the biggest home crowd since 2004 – and further suggests it may be worth developing the derelict Bishop Street side sooner than later.

The more Stags challenge at the top end the more people will want to watch.

Sadly Saturday wasn’t the greatest spectacle as a busy week left tired legs and a lack of penetration against a well-drilled Bantams side.

Again the bad side of the modern game reared its head as two Bradford players rolled around and thumped the ground with apparant serious injuries only to then jump up unharmed and berate the referee. It is something I hate and I wish the FA would start dishing our cards for cheating.