LOMAS ON STAGS: Make-or-break Easter weekend as promotion battle hots up for Mansfield Town?

Saturday’s 4-1 demoltion of Crawley Town was much needed and perfectly-timed.

However, things are so tight at the top that by Monday Stags could be in with a shout of the play-offs, or even automatic promotion, or sitting well short of everything in mid-table.

With eight huge games still to come, six points are up for grabs in three days this weekend and they could make so much difference to the season.

Mansfield start the weekend two points outside the play-offs, but with a game in hand, which means their fate is in their own hands as far as the top seven is concerned.

The top three spots are a tougher proposition now with a seven-point gap to make up on Steve Evans’s Stevenage, but they have yet to come to the One Call Stadium in just more than two weeks, by which time the clash could be very interesting.

Everyone knows how hard the injury list has bitten again this season, but the sides Nigel Clough has put out have dug in and kept them in the mix.

Playing a back four instead of the favoured three worked well against Crawley, as it allowed Lucas Akins to go back up front as a focal point.

Rhys Oates looks to be back to full fitness at just the right time and it won’t be long before he is back among the goals. And Davis Keillor-Dunn just behind the front pair is turning out to be the most important signing of the season, adding two more goals and another sparkling display on Saturday.

Many were disappointed to see George Lapslie leave the club. But thankfully Keillor-Dunn looks to be an upgrade.

Also, skipper Ollie Clarke is finally fit and running things in midfield after so many setbacks. The return of vastly experienced Stephen Quinn was another big boost. With Hiram Boateng also looking sharper when he came on and the hugely talented Louis Reed likely to be back after Easter – and possibly Will Swan as well – everything looks to be coming together at the right time.

Stags have a score to settle at Swindon on Friday after that 5-2 home mauling and, if they win, the One Call Stadium will be an absolute cauldron for bottom club Rochdale’s visit on Monday.