Mansfield Town head into toughest trio of successive games with away trip to Wigan Athletic

And with leaders Birmingham City in town on Saturday and then an away game at second-placed Wrexham, fourth-placed Stags know their fine start to the campaign is about to undergo the most thorough of examinations.

“We are looking for a positive result at Wigan,” said boss Nigel Clough.

“With the next three league games we have got, with Birmingham and Wrexham to come before the likely next international break, we need to get a point or three somewhere and it would be nice to do it tomorrow night.

“It will be an extremely challenging period and we didn't want to go into these next three on the back of a defeat. But it happened, so we have to bounce back against Wigan.

“Wigan have had mixed results so far, but on the day, if you give them time to play, they are as a good a possession side as there is in the league. They do keep the ball very well.

“We know Dale Taylor well from watching the U21s. He's on loan from Forest and has been on loan at Burton and Wycombe too - he is a very good finisher.”

Stags will take at least 1,500 fans to the impressive Brick Community Stadium and Clough said: “We look forward to performing in front of them – and hopefully we will be better than Saturday.

“I think Saturday was the first time the expectation was on us this season to win the game and go and create, probably the reverse of the Blackpool game, but Stevenage came and stopped us and played a bit as well.

“But the onus will be on Wigan tomorrow night.

“We looked a little nervy on the ball on Saturday which I don't understand with the points we've got on the board. One of the benefits of having a good start should be that you're not nervous and can go out and express yourselves.

“The second half was much more like us and we were much better.

“First half on Saturday was probably the worst we've been this season.

“Credit to Stevenage, they played very well and it took an unbelievable goal – a wonder free kick - to beat us.

“It was the first goal we've conceded in four games.

“It flew into the top corner and from that point of view it's not too bad as no one has come and turned us over two or three nil, and we had so many situations in the second half when we could have got an equaliser.”

It was only a second defeat of the league season and Stags still sit fourth, but Clough said: “We're not taking too much notice of the table at this stage of the season as there are too many good teams below us who probably won't continue the form they have shown in the first 10 games as they are better than that.”

George Maris, Aden Flint, and Lucas Akins are all back in training after injury but unlikely to be involved tomorrow unless needed to make up the bench due to possible knocks from last weekend.