Mansfield Town's trip to Harrogate Town is postponed after Stags tell EFL they cannot fulfil the fixture

Jordan Bowery celebrates his goal against Hartlepool Utd. But they will not be able to build on their win after telling the EFL that Stags cannot fulfill their trip to Harrogate Town on Wednesday

Mansfield informed the EFL they would be unable to fulfil the fixture at the EnviroVent Stadium due to a number of positive Covid-19 cases in the squad.

Stags say the club worked hard to ensure it would be able to fulfil the fixture.

A statement read: “Taking into account the injuries and positive Covid-19 cases within the squad following yesterday’s victory at home to Hartlepool United, the club does not have a sufficient number of players available in order to fulfil the fixture.”

Speaking the win over Hartlepool, boss Nigel Clough had said: “We lost three players at lunchtime and I think if we’d told one or two half-truths we’d have got the game off, but we wanted to put a game on for the spectators – it’s Boxing Day.

“We believe all four have had positive tests, as well as having four out with injury.

“We have a few more now who have symptoms and are coughing and we will test them in the morning and see where we go.

“We will do everything we can to get a team out on Wednesday, but, as much as we want to play, if we can't make the required number, we will fall victim, like an awful lot of teams have today.

“With it spreading so fast, I think it’s inevitable there will be two or three more.”

A rearranged date for the fixture will be confirmed in due course.