Rhead enjoying run in Stags side

The big striker began both matches at Torquay and Bury this week and said: “It’s been brilliant to be starting games and playing as well as possible. I hope it will continue.

“Now I need to keep my place. We need to push on as a team and get some results.

“It’s been good and I have enjoyed the battle. Both games have been away from home and it’s always going to be competitive. We have created a few chances and we now need to convert a few.”

Rhead, who only became a full-time professional footballer last season, admits he has found the standards of the Football League much higher than the Conference.

“Players are a lot cleverer,” he said, “When the ball is coming from long, there are a few more players in and around me to stop me heading the ball.

“It’s a lot more physical and perhaps a bit quicker too. Teams are a bit more organised and they have better defenders. Every game is a test and a learning curve.

“I think I’ve done well a couple of times I’ve come off the bench. But I believe it’s better for me to be starting as you begin to get stronger when you are playing more regularly.”

Now Rhead is hoping he can keep his shirt as, after two games without scoring, Stags try to win their first home League game in three after a couple of recent blips.

“We need to take what we got from Saturday and Tuesday into it and get a couple of goals as well. We have set ourselves up nicely,” he said.

“We are quite strong defensively If we can score goals you will see more confidence in the team going forward. We just need a goal to be fair. It’s just not dropping for us at the moment.

“We need to keep knocking the door down and hope it will come sooner than later.”