OPINION: Lucas Akins and Will Evans partnership could be exactly what Mansfield Town are looking for

Stags got the three points they were looking for with a somewhat routine win against a Northampton side clearly lacking in confidence, and perhaps fight, as they head back to their familiar League Two stomping ground.

Stags now hold a very handy seven point cushion on fourth-bottom Blackpool and with two games in hand. It looks good right now, but Nigel Clough isn’t going to ease off and relax until the 54 point threshold is achieved.

Easing off isn’t something Stags should do. As I said after the Barnsley game, Mansfield look so much better when they are a front foot side taking games to opponents.

It was a bit surprising, and disappointing, that Stags took their foot off the gas instead of going in for the kill after Will Evans got us up and running with his early opener.

Northampton were very much there for the taking and Stags should have been going for that killer second instead of sitting back and inviting the visitors to get back into it.

They could very well have paid the price for that lethargy but for a great block by Elliott Hewitt and a top save by Liam Roberts, both from Cameron McGeehan, just before the break.

The difference was there for all to see after half-time with Northampton simply unable to live with Mansfield’s new shape, which saw Ryhs Oates, Lucas Akins and Will Evans giving their backline a nightmare time of it.

It’s the second home game in a row where Akins has started out on the right, with minimal impact, before being moved up top at half-time with impressive results.

I thought he was magnificent yesterday with his role in Evans’ second-goal and that desire to keep chasing and never give up summing up everything he is about.

The Evans/Akins combination now has five goals and one assist between them in the last three games. They bring bags of athleticism, power and fight and are certainly going to test most defences in the league.

It’s a partnership that really needs looking at and given an opportunity to flourish. Whether as a front two, or a trio with Oatsey as we saw on Saturday, it could well prove to be the combination that helps Stags find the cutting edge they have often lacked this season.

Whatever attacking options Clough goes with, Akins simply has to be the man to lead the front line.

It’s been a gruelling schedule with seven games in 22 days going into a much-deserved period of rest for Stags until the Good Friday game at Donny. It’s a break they will certainly need with six games in 18 days on the horizon in April as Stags play catch-up with their games in hand.

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