Mansfield Town set for return to action after frustrating 17-day break

A blank weekend was followed by Saturday's home postponement against MK Dons due to a waterlogged pitch and boss Nigel Clough said: “We were desperate for a game on Saturday.

“We'd had the 10-day break, which was perfect, but it's now turned into a 17-day break between games. It is far from ideal, though we can't do anything about the weather.

“We will certainly be recharged and refreshed for Saturday. But 17 days without a game is quite a long time.

“The worry is we play that game – one game in three and a half weeks by the time we go to Sutton next week – then you have four in nine days, which also is not ideal. We will be hit by a barrage of games over Christmas and will certainly need the squad over that period.

“We will be stressing to players this week that they have to be mindful of the long break they have had – use it in terms of being fresh, but you can get a little rusty too. So I hope it won't affect us too much.”

He added: “We went up to the RH Academy and trained on the artificial surface on Saturday as the grass pitches there were waterlogged as well.

“It was the best we could do in the circumstances. We didn't risk Stephen Quinn and Stephen McLaughlin on the surface though.

“But everyone else had a good runaround for an hour – and it was much-needed. It was about getting rid of some of that pent-up energy as everyone was ready for a game.”

Other results largely went Stags' way on Saturday and Clough said: “We probably just about improved our position without playing.

“We are a bit sceptical about games in hand as you have to get something from them – draws or wins. But it doesn't look too bad on paper at the moment.”

After Crawley Stags will then prepare for the hectic Festive period.

“There will be 12 points available in nine days. At no other time of the season will that happen,” said Clough.

“Although it's not ultimately season-defining, it can go a long way to cementing your place in the top six or seven or see other teams catch up.

“So it would be nice to get a result at Crawley and then go into the Christmas period in good spirits.

“I am not sure how many players will play the full four games during that period.”

Midfielder Louis Reed will miss the game with his one game ban carrying over and Clough said: “Louis Reed has had the longest one game suspension in the history of the EFL at the moment with one game turning into three and a half weeks. I think he was more disappointed than anyone that Saturday's game was off.

“He won't have played for a good few weeks by the time we go to Sutton next week.”

On opponents Crawley, he said: “They are another side that can be potentially up there and challenging. On their day they are as good as anybody, especially at home.

“They have a lot of attacking threats and we know in the past Scott Lindsay's teams play good football and have been very, very dangerous.

“They are unusual in the way they play as they are quite expansive and attack-minded. So one thing we're going to have to do is defend well.

“I think it will be quite open, similar to the Swindon game. We will have to take our chances as well, which we didn't in the Swindon game.”