Mansfield Town agree last minute friendly away at Hearts

This follows the late cancellation of a planned public home friendly with Barnsley by the Yorkshire club and comes just days after the squad returned from last week’s gruelling training camp in Scotland at St Andrews.

“It came out of the blue. We were just scratching around trying to get a game after Barnsley cancelled on us at late notice, but everyone was fixed up,” said boss Nigel Clough.

“Then we heard that Hearts were looking for a game. They actually wanted one on Sunday but we couldn't play two in two days so they said would you come up and play us at our place on Tuesday night?

“Unfortunately it was too late to get spectators in, so it is behind closed doors.

“But we thought the opportunity to play at Tynecastle and also play against one of the top sides in Scotland was too good an opportunity to turn down.

“Both clubs wanted fans in but it was too late to sort security and safety and all those sorts of things. Even if we had managed to arrange a game at home ourselves, we probably couldn't have opened the gates to our supporters on Tuesday night. It's the best of a bad job.

“We are 10 days off the start of the season so you want a good test – and we will certainly get that.”

He added: “We are looking forward to seeing one of our old Burton players – Liam Boyce – who is coming back to fitness.

“I am not sure what it will be like without any crowd in, but it is a brilliant ground. Every time I have been up there to watch games there has been a great atmosphere.

“I think the players will enjoy it and it will be a good experience for them.

Clough is hoping to get 90 minutes into the legs of the players picked for the Hearts game with the rest likely to figure in Wednesday night's friendly a little closer to home at Long Eaton United (7.45).

“We are looking for most of the lads to get 90 minutes, six got it on Saturday,” he said.

“Anyone who doesn't play at Hearts will go to Long Eaton on Wednesday, mixed with members of the U19 group.”

Clough was annoyed by the Barnsley cancellation and said: “Bobby Hassell phoned up Simon (Clough) about 10 days before and said they would probably be bringing a younger side than they had hoped with a few first team players. We said fine – it will still be a competitive game.

“Then to call it off less than a week from the day when everybody else is fixed up was very disappointing.”

Clough has a few pre-season injury problems and expects to see Baily Cargill and Stephen Quinn play but ruled out James Gale, Ollie Clarke, JJ O'Toole and Will Swan with O'Toole's knock being the most concerning.

“We have a couple of niggles now, just from the contact in the games,” said Clough.

“Baily Cargill got accidentally caught in the face and needed a little stitch, but he should be all right.

“Stephen Quinn has a tight Achilles but he should be fine.

“I didn't want to risk James Gale too much on Saturday as he felt his thigh on Friday. He just did 15 minutes for us and felt it again so he is unlikely to be involved now until the weekend or Matlock next Tuesday.

“Ollie Clarke's calf is proving a little bit more stubborn than we thought in terms of easing. But we're hoping he will be running this week.

“Swanny has a chance for the weekend.

“JJ we are not too sure about. Unbelievably and innocuously he just stepped back in the warm up and stepped on George Cooper's foot and twisted. So he is back in a boot. We are waiting on results from a scan for him.”