Mansfield Town target top three place after hectic festive fixture run

After Saturday, Stags face a home clash with Northampton Town and trips to Hartlepool United and Walsall inside a busy seven day period and boss Nigel Clough said: “We are looking forward to it.

“After Grimsby on Saturday we have three games in a short space of time with nine points at stake.

“This time of year can make a big difference to the league table with those points available. By the time we have finished New Year's Day it's 12 points to play for.

“We are within touching distance of the top three, so let's try and close that gap. The four games are all winnable and starting next year in the top three is the aim.

“It is important to have the squad all fit as, when you play three times in a week, it is important to be able to change the side if you need to.”

Back in the EFL after promotion from the National League, Grimsby will bring a massive following on Saturday and Clough said: “They are very competitive as you would expect – we know that from our Papa Johns Trophy game - and they are not very far off the play-offs.

“They are a big club to have been down there in the Conference. Now they are back up, getting good crowds, and Paul Hurst has got them playing.

“They are organised and (John) McAtee is now back in their starting line-up. He is a player that can create something out of nothing.

“We worked with little Otis Khan at Sheffield United and know about his pace and goal threat.

“Defensively they are organised and I think they are a side that in the next couple of seasons, if not this season, will be challenging in that top six or seven.

“It is one of those games in which we are going to have to be at our best on Saturday.

“Getting out of that Conference is the toughest part when there's only the champions go up and someone else through the play-offs. It is unbelievably tough to get out of that league.

“The top half of the Conference is very similar to the bottom half of League Two – I don't think there is anything in it.

“When you do get out of it, honestly, it's almost easier surviving and thriving in League Two.”

Paul Hurst is enjoying a second successful spell as Mariners boss and Clough added: “He won't have done anything differently in his other jobs. “He did very well at Shrewsbury but things didn't work out at Ipswich. Sometimes things just drop into place.

“You need a break here and there and you want the right sort of players to play the way that you want and you see the manager thriving again.”​​​​​​​