Mansfield Town hoping to have Matt Green fit to face Oxford

Mansfield Town are hoping to have striker Matt Green back firing on all cylinders for Saturday’s visit of Oxford United.
Mansfield Town's Matt Green.Mansfield Town's Matt Green.
Mansfield Town's Matt Green.

Green had a stiff back after an awkward landing at Notts County on Friday and, although he was all but fit, boss Adam Murray chose not to risk him at less than 100 per cent for the 1-0 defeat at Accrington on Tuesday.

“We had no choice in the decision. He wasn’t right,” said Murray. “It’s not like we chose to rest Matt Green on Tuesday night.

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“We can’t put somebody in the team that’s not right. Matt Green would be a big miss to any team. At this level he is a super player in what he brings to your side, not just the goals but his general all-round play. But if he’s not fit we can’t play him. If he was fit he would have played.”

Murray continued: “Our aim now is to make sure he is all right for Saturday because I do think he adds something different to our team. But we had enough in there on Tuesday night to get something out of the game.

“We brought him off on Friday because he landed a bit funny. I am not a physio but I think it was a spasm or something. He has had intensive treatment all week and he is virtually there. But on Tuesday night we didn’t want to put him on a coach for two and a half hours and ask him to play and risk him doing something more serious than he actually has.

“We decided it wasn’t worth the risk so we hope we will now have him back on Saturday.”