LOMAS ON STAGS: Unbeaten Mansfield Town have big chance to close in on record this week

There are no guarantees on victories at Swindon Town on Saturday or from the home clash with Tranmere Rovers on Tuesday.

Both Stags are on fire and both opponents struggling for form. And if Mansfield apply themselves and hit their recent heights they can extend this current 17-game unbeaten league run to 19, one short of the club’s all-time record from 1976.

That run was over the end of one season and start of the next and the current run is already a new record from the start of a season. So, with a third of the season already gone, Stags fans know they could be witnessing something historic and very special.

Saturday’s home 2-0 win over Newport County was achieved despite Rhys Oates having a penalty saved at 1-0, which encouraged the visitors.

But Mansfield’s rock solid defence was again outstanding. Davis Keillor-Dunn netted twice to land Man of the Match, but my choice would have been immaculate loanee centre half Lewis Brunt, who has been a revelation since his arrival.

If Stags can maintain this unbeaten run through the next week they will then enjoy a 10-day break from action after which they should have Ollie Clarke and Stephen McLaughlin back from injury.

Also, Elliott Hewitt is making good progress, out on the grass running ahead of an anticipated return in February by when the bench strength could look fantastic.

Postponements aside, Stags could then equal the club record at home against MK Dons and maybe set a new one away at Crawley on 16th December. But there is a hell of a lot of hard work to be done to achieve that.

Well done to the Premier League for the 10-point deduction on Everton. All we have heard since is bleating from the Toffees about the punishment being harsh. But if you can’t do the time don’t do the crime and they were cheating on rules they had signed up to.

Now let’s see if the PL has the guts to do the same to other big guns like Manchester City. They are so good to watch but you can’t help feeling their huge list of alleged rule breaking tarnishes last season’s amazing trophy haul.