Mansfield Town boss Nigel Clough’s message to players as big home week begins with visit of Lincoln City

Mansfield had lost seven games in a row before the weekend but played well at Blackpool and were unlucky not to win as a thrilling game ended 3-3 after they had led 3-1.

Mansfield now take on the Imps tomorrow before Wrexham visit on Sunday afternoon in an important week and Clough said: “We are looking to play exactly the same again this week. That is the intention.

“The opposition might be different and set up differently to stop us.

“So many different factors come into it as to whether you are able to play as you want or not. A lot of it is the opposition.

“But, apart from conceding the goal, that first half at Blackpool was as good a 45 minutes as we have had of late. We take a lot of heart from that.

“I don't think we did too many things wrong and we conceded three goals. So we are getting punished disproportionately at the moment.”

Mansfield were beaten 4-1 at Lincoln earlier in the season in a bizarre game in which the Stags dominated but nothing went their way and keeper Christy Pym made two costly errors,

“It was a strange one as I think that day we had as much possession as we have had in any game this season,” said Clough.

“Christy had a game he won't want to remember.

“Early on we were in control of the game.

“But Lincoln are very resolute and very organised and difficult to break down.

“And they are very dangerous from set plays which will be a threat tomorrow.

“But the players have got to take it on now. We should have had three or four draws easily in the run of games we have lost.

“They now have to take it on as this is how we can play and the potential we've got.

“We have done it earlier in the season and we have just got to do it a little bit more between now and May.

“We got the ball down on Saturday and played and everybody pretty much did their jobs – we have got to continue that sort of consistency if we can.

“It certainly helped getting Baily (Cargill) back in the team. His pass for Keanu's goal was outstanding as well as his defensive duties.

“Hopefully in the next couple of weeks we will get players back we've been missing.”

However, Clough does have injury worries.

“Baily got a nasty knock on his hand. Someone stood right on it and he dislocated a finger which is still quite swollen,” he said.

“Elliott Hewitt had a tight hamstring and George Williams was suffering from cramp.

“George has not played since October so he is going to be feeling it a bit.

“It was brilliant to see him come straight in and play so well.

“He was feeling it after 60-70 minutes, and we maybe should have brought him off a bit earlier, but when we were doing so well you don't want to disrupt it.

“We were defending well and Blackpool had not had too many situations.”

On his other injuries he added: “They are coming on well. Frazer is training this week so he won't be too far off hopefully.

“I think Deji is scheduled to train at maybe the end of the week or, if not, early next week.

“Matty Craig is similar. He is doing one to one at the moment and hopefully he will be back out on the grass training by the end of this week or early next week.

“It is a big week for us with the two home games and then we will get a clear week after that.

“So it's in that period after Wrexham we will get some work done with those lads coming back.”