Rhys Oates return delayed as Mansfield Town near full strength
Mansfield Town's hopes of a return from injury for striker Rhys Oates next week have been scuppered.
Oates had hoped to be back in time to play against Newcastle United U21s on Tuesday night when Stags complete their Bristol Street Motors Trophy group games.
But Stags will use the game to top up minutes for returning trio Aden Flint, Lucas Akins and George Maris as manager Nigel Clough gets ever closer to the rarity of a full strength squad available.
“Rhys has had a little bit of a setback in that he has to do strength tests to make sure his thigh muscle and knee are up to scratch to go onto the next stage of his recovery,” said Clough.
“But when tested he was just slightly down on one leg which means he still needs to do another couple of weeks work.
“He will be tested again next week and hopefully he can hit the target.
“That would just be to get him back into training. He is still on one to one rehab at the moment. So I think he will still be a few weeks yet.
“To join in full physical training would still be two or three weeks yet if he hits these markers.
“It is frustrating but we'd rather he be right.
“We are getting other people fit now like Lucas Akins and Ben Waine, so it's not a desperate situation to rush him back, which is good.”
He added: “We have the Newcastle U21s game next Tuesday – a dead rubber sadly – but Maris, Flint, and Akins will certainly feature in that after stepping up their training this week.
“Tuesday will definitely be useful for us and I wish we were still in the competition with a chance of getting through as we could do with another game.
“We will probably arrange a friendly before the Wrexham game just to keep all these lads topped up and get them minutes on the pitch.
“They have been out a long time – it's not just been a week or two.”
Mansfield have been given 2,000 tickets for their FA Cup first round tie away to National League North Curzon Ashton on Sunday, 3rd November which are now on general sale.
And Stags' postponed fixture away at Wycombe Wanderers due to international call-ups has been rescheduled for Tuesday, 26th November (7.45).