Mansfield Town in best form in all my time here says midfielder George Maris.

“I know we have shown snippets in previous years that we can play like this, but this year it all seems to have clicked together and the confidence throughout the squad is the best I've seen it.

“It all seems to have come together in these last few weeks and people are playing their hearts out in training to get a shirt. That can only stand the team in good stead.

“If you look at the stats we are always up there in terms of goalscoring chances and chances against us – we're not conceding too many.

“We go into every game thinking positively that we can win and are a better team than the team we are playing – we have that sort of arrogance about us this season which could take us over the line to get promoted.

“To have no defeat so far is good. We are the only ones in the EFL to do that so we have to take it as a big compliment. I think we could possibly have won more of those games too.

“We've had a lot of injuries but it shows we have a good squad with the results we're still getting.

“It's not nice seeing your main players go down and it leaves the rest of you filling in roles.

“But when you see a full squad and the bench as strong as it is it only fills you with confidence to go on and get stronger.

“To see the players we have coming off the bench now will frighten any team.”

Maris was on target in Saturday's 3-0 win at Accrington Stanley but knows it was hugely overshadowed by Aaron's Lewis' long ranger wonder goal.

“I thought it was a very professional performance on Saturday,” he said.

“We didn't start very well but once we settled into the game and Davo (Davis Keillor-Dunn) scored his overhead kick it was only going to be us that won the game.

“I think Aaron's goal was the best I have ever seen live in my career. To do that on the volley and put it into the top corner was just amazing. He has that ability in him.

“Taking a ball like that, it could go anywhere. But it was the way he took it on his sidefoot.

“He said afterwards he would have taken a touch had he not been so tired, but he just thought why not? It paid off and went top corner and sealed the game for us in the end.

Maris has now scored three goals in eight games and he said: “Obviously I am playing further forward this year as I usually play a deeper role.

“I am enjoying it and I feel every time I am on the pitch I get some sort of shot or chance away.

“If I keep chipping in with goals and assists that would be brilliant.

“Throughout my career I have always been an attacking sort of player. It gives me licence to get involved more.

“I don't think since I have been here I have scored the goals I potentially should have, so hopefully I can make up some sort of goal deficit this year!”

Stags head to Colchester United on Saturday and Maris added: “It will be a tough game. It's never easy to go down there and they won on Saturday. We just have to focus on ourselves.

“Teams will look at our record and want to be the first to beat us.

“With the teams in the league this year this is probably the toughest I've ever seen it.

“We have a lot of big clubs and if you look at the table it's hard to see who is going to be up there. But I think we can beat anyone on our day.

“We would love to go al the way after threatening to do so the last two years. Maybe it's time with the squad we have to go and give it a good go this season.”