LOMAS ON STAGS: Rare home flop as Mansfield Town miss the chance to go top

With only one defeat all season and none at home, losing 1-0 to Crewe Alexandra at the One Call on Saturday was a shock to the system.

But we still have half a season to go, that defeat was coming at some stage and, with Stags having two games in hand, it was only one of them wasted and another to come this Tuesday.

It wasn’t the best display by Mansfield but it wasn’t the worst either.

Had they not over-played in their own box in the second minute and given away a goal and had they seen a break for them in the other box then things may have been very different.

But sometimes you have to credit the opposition and Crewe defended magnificently.

Saturday’s trip to fading Morecambe is a chance to put things right.

The Shrimps are an unpredictable outfit, having sunk into mid table after good early form.

They have been hammered 6-0 by Wrexham and 5-0 by Notts County away from home in the last few weeks but also chalked up a 5-0 success of their own at Doncaster Rovers.

But three points there and another three at home to struggling Forest Green Rovers at home on Tuesday will still see Stags belatedly take top spot.

With bad news on Callum Johnson’s injury and likely bad news on that to Rhys Oates also it will be no surprise to see Nigel Clough bring in at least two new faces in the currenty window.

Both players have been desperately unlucky with injury this season and this looks like a fresh blow for the pair.

Clough says he has three forwards on his radar and we could see one of them this weekend if a loan deal is agreed in time.

Apart from the anomaly of the disused Bishop Street side, the rest of the One Call looks every inch a modern ground with the hi-tech scoreboard and new perimeter video advertising boards.

And the scoreboard was put to great use on Saturday with the montage of photos compiled as a tribute to Stags fans who passed away in 2023.

It was a beautiful, sombre moment and touched everyone in the ground.