Loss of goal ace Rhys Oates with freak injury is a big blow for Mansfield Town

Oates took a late tumble last Tuesday against AFC Wimbledon that saw him tear a pectoral muscle, which are four large paired muscles that cover the front of the ribcage and serve to draw the forelimbs towards the chest.

“It is a ruptured pectoral muscle, it has come away from the bone a little bit and he will need a small operation to repair it,” said boss Nigel Clough

“It is an injury I have never heard of in 50-odd years of being around football. “Usually I think that sort of thing is a rugby injury. It was just a case of extreme bad luck.

“Rhys saw the specialist on Monday and will have an operation this week or next.

“We have the best guy in the country on it and he was very positive when he saw the scans. He said he will be up and playing again in a few months.

“We won't put a time limit on it but he will be a few months, we're not quite sure how long. But it was better news than we anticipated.”

He continued: “It is such an unusual injury. With knee injuries and hamstrings you can usually pin a time on them. I don't think you can with this sort of thing.

“It was just an innocuous tangle with Alex Pearce – there was no fault on his part in any way. Rhys just fell awkwardly.

“Everyone is a little bit devastated here first and foremost but we will get him back on the pitch as soon as possible and look after him in the meantime – and we are going to miss him.

“He was our top scorer last season so he will be a loss.”

So Clough is back in the transfer market for a last minute move – one which is likely to be a loan.

“We are certainly going to step up our search to bring one in as a replacement, maybe a loan until Christmas, to cover us. We have another week or so of the window being open,” he said.

“We were very heartened by the display of Will Swan on Saturday.

“Also we had George Lapslie playing up there with him, who was involved in both goals again. Against Wimbledon he scored one, won a penalty and made one.

“Lucas Akins is back training this week. We still have other option as well. Oli Hawkins is an option to go up top, as is Jordan Bowery.

“We still have a bit of flexibility there, but we could still do with another striker just to get us through to Christmas.

“If it is a permanent then it's a permanent, but Rhys is only going to be out for a few months and we have a squad of 19 we're working with, so this is just a temporary replacement for Rhys.”