Mansfield Town skipper Ollie Clarke wants to enjoy the big run-in to the promotion chase this time around

“This is the best part of the season. You get to grounds and the drums are beating and everyone is on a high as you're playing for something,” he said.

“I missed out on that buzz last year being injured, so I am eager to play my part and do my best. We have a lot of experience and good players.

“This is definitely my best season here with fitness and playing with confidence.

“That right of a three role really suits me the way we're playing at the moment.

“I have not had much luck with injuries in my time here but I have now had a good run of games and goals are coming.

“I wanted to come back fitter and sharper from my injury and I think that break was good for my body.

“I am really enjoying my football and will do my best to drive us forward in the last five or six weeks of the season to get us to the end line, which is promotion.”

He added: “They are all massive games now. We have eight cup finals to get to where we want to be.

“Saturday's win kept us in the hunt and now we know it's all about us and we need to produce the same or better in the coming weeks.

“The 0-0s before it were not pretty. But we have to grind those games out as in previous seasons we'd have probably gone and lost against the Suttons. They were points on the board.

“The table is positive for us as, being the chasing team, we can really build some momentum now and get the boys back fit.

“We have everything coming together and hopefully it all clicks at the right time and we can make that push and get to where we want to be.

“No disrespect to anyone, but the games we have coming up are winnable games and we have go to get points on the board.

“It's always the best way to be – the team that finishes the season strongest normally does best in the play-offs.

“I think it's a stronger league than last year and the top eight or nine teams are all worthy of being there or thereabouts. We have to make sure we're not the ones that are disappointed come the end of the season.

“We have to play a couple of the teams above us. Stevenage will be a tough game and Orient are looking like they're probably going to take the league. So we know when we play then we have to be right at it.”

Clarke's early goal set Stags up for a 4-1 home win over Crawley Town last weekend and he said: “Saturday's win was massive. We hadn't won at home for a couple of games so we had to get back to winning ways.

“The nice early goal settled everyone down and from then on it was the kind of dominant performance we needed.”

On his goal, he said: “It came across and was just a bit behind me, but my touch sort of took it back across my body and I always fancy myself with my left foot across goal.

“I think we were due a performance like that and having Stephen Quinn back in the team settles everyone down that bit more as he brings the class and composure we need down that left hand side. He has that determination to win games and he drives us forward.”

Now Stags face a crucial Easter with a game at Swindon Town on Friday followed by the visit of bottom club Rochdale on Easter Monday.

“Swindon have had a change of manager and lost some players so there is obviously something going on there and it's not really a stable ship at the moment,” said Clarke.

“But we know they have players who can hurt us and an experienced striker in Charlie Austin who is always going to be a threat in front of goal.

“We have to nullify that, make sure we're at it ourselves and do what we're good at – keeping it tight at the back and creating chances.

“Then on Monday Rochdale are going to be fighting for their lives, having been pretty poor all season.”