LOMAS ON STAGS: Promotion race is going down to the wire as predicted

Quite how damaging Easter Monday’s 1-1 home draw with bottom club Rochdale was we won’t know until the final reckoning.

But it’s far from over with six games left and 18 points to play for, starting with away games at Grimsby Town on Saturday and Newport County on Tuesday – two mid-table clubs with realistically little to play for but pride.

Monday saw Stags again slip out of the top seven but only by a point and with a game in hand follwing Salford City’s dramatic late win.

Indeed, Stags remain only five points off the top three automatic promotion places, again with a game in hand.

So things could hardly be tighter.

On Good Friday at Swindon Town Clough’s men hit back from going an early goal down to produce a superb 4-2 win and avenge that 5-2 home hammering.

But anyone who thought bottom club Rochdale would be a pushover were very wrong.

Two wins had given them belief they can pull off a miracle and Dale defended for their lives with keeper Richard O’Donnell a clear man of the match winner.

It was a frustrating game but Stags certainly didn’t deserve the boos that came from a small minority at the end.

Mansfield gave everything, played some excellent football – with superb displays from several players – and had 20 shots.

On another day they would have won with ease.

The sight of returning midfield ace George Maris limping off before half time in his comeback game probably gave an indication it wasn’t to be Stags’ day.

But there will be plenty of twists and turns still to come.

Stags will be hoping they can at least patch up injured pair Ollie Clarke and Rhys Oates, who were injured again on Friday, for the big day out at Grimsby, where Stags will again be backed by a huge army of away fans in what always feels like a local derby, despite the distance between the clubs.

Skipper Clarke and goal ace Oates had just begun to hit form once more after injuries and will be vital to making the play-offs or even better.