Jennings keeps his focus, despite scare over brother’s life

Stags defender James Jennings is trying not to let the scare over his brother’s life-threatening injury play on his mind as he looks to continue regaining his early season form for tomorrow’s visit of League Two leaders Scunthorpe United (3pm).

James’ brother, Connor, has just had three emergency operations amid worries over a blood clot.

The Scunthorpe striker had been out on loan at Macclesfield where he thought he had picked up a simple dead leg in his calf.

But the 22-year-old has since had to have a total of 64 stitches in his leg on the back of three operations to alleviate the potential of a blood clot, having to open up the calf to relieve the pressure.

Jennings said: “He is back on his feet, but it is going to be a long process with rehabilitation. Fingers crossed he can bounce back as he is a strong lad.

“These things happen in life. Things happen off the pitch as much as they do on the pitch.

“You have got to stay strong mentally and not let it affect your football.”

Jennings is now preparing with the squad for tomorrow’s big game and said: “Scunthorpe are probably one of the best sides in our league looking at their current run of form.

“But we have got to take out the positives from the last three games and we are on a good run of form as well.

“We have just got back to doing what we do best, winning the ball back, everything out of possession, the team ethos, everyone working hard and the desire to win.”

At Exeter it was backs-to-the-wall at the end for Mansfield and Jennings said: “It’s not good on the old blood pressure and we can’t keep doing that every game. At Exeter it felt like they had a man more.

“We were just dropping off but I don’t think we realised we were doing it.

“And when we did get the ball, there were a lot of tired legs.

“But to go away to Exeter and get a 1-0 win was a great result and the lads are really buzzing in the dressing room at the minute.

“Another clean sheet was great, too, that’s 10 now. It’s then up to the strikers to get the goals at the other end of the pitch.

“Myself, I think I have been a bit inconsistent this season but in the last three or four games I have been happier with my own game. I feel I am getting back to how I was in September when we were flying.”