We are not safe yet warns Mansfield Town boss Nigel Clough ahead of in-form Charlton Athletic visit

Two wins in two games has eased fears with the gap to the drop zone now being 11 points with eight games to go.

But, after the recent run of 14 games without a win and now facing some of League One's big hitters in succession, Clough is not sure his target of 50 points will be enough for safety.

“Hopefully we will go into these games with a little more confidence from recent results, if not the performances,” he said.

“It has eased the pressure a little bit, but we will have the same approach as we have all season.

“We will go out to win the game and if we can't win it then don't lose it.

“Anything we can get from the next three games before the 10-day break will be fantastic to get us towards that 50-point mark. And we hopefully have a bit more belief we can get there sooner than later.

“But we are taking absolutely nothing for granted. All we have done is get to 47 points – that does not keep you in the league.

“It is nice to get the gap to the bottom four into double figures as it means the teams around us, with seven or eight games left, have got to win four to make us play.

“But we know from having won at Stockport on 4th January and then lost I don't know how many games on the spin, if we do that again we will go down.

“So we want to keep getting the results – the one defeat in six is important as well. Exeter was disappointing but the three draws before that gave us the platform to build on.”

He added: “I am not sure 50 points will do it now because of the form of the teams that are down there.

“Scott Lindsay has gone back in at Crawley and they have had two outstanding wins and kept two clean sheets. They are the sort of team that can put a run together where they can win four or five games.

“Burton played extremely well at Stockport. It is very rare you see stats like that Burton had more possession and shots at Stockport and could easily have had a good result. So they're in good form as well.

“We are taking nothing for granted. We need to get mathematically safe.

“I hope things even up slightly now as it just couldn't keep on going the way it was. In the vast majority of games on the winless run we had deserved something.

“I hope things are just balancing out a little bit now and will continue to do so as, whatever it is, it still owes us in the last seven or eight games.”

Charlton sit fourth after their 4-0 drubbing of Huddersfield Town last weekend and have won six and drawn one of their last eight and only lost twice in 15 games.

“When we had the 0-0 at their place there was unrest there,” said Clough.

“But now they are absolutely flying – probably the form team in the division.

“So they will be a different animal to the side we faced before Christmas.

“They play very much on the front foot.

“Gary Crosby watched them on Saturday against Huddersfield – who are a good team that we play next week – and they beat them 4-0.

“He said from the first minute they were on the front foot and they also mix it up. They play a little bit and also put it long with long throws and set plays. They are an all-round threat really.

“Charlton have come from nowhere and look like they are pretty much ensconsed in the play-offs now.

“They will be looking to finish the season on a high and cement their place, going into the play-offs in good heart.

“They are a good all-round team. I think they always were but just needed that confidence, which they didn't necessarily have when we played them in December but certainly have now.

“We play three of the best teams in the league in the next three games, so it is a very different challenge to when you play teams down there who are fighting and scrapping alongside you.

“It will be interesting to see how we fare against them and they are certainly three games to look forward to.”

On his injury list, Clough said: “Elliott Hewitt came off on Saturday with cramp in both calves. He is really struggling to play 90 minutes and if he does get through a 90 then it affects him for the next one.

“This is just a build-up of him missing pre-season and so on.

“George Maris has been out on the grass doing a little bit.

“Matty Craig was with us on Saturday as 19th man so he will be involved.

“Hopefully Ben Waine has got some sleep over the weekend after his 25-hour flight home and will be over his jet lag a little bit more.

“We have a busy spell ahead and we could do with as many of our injured players fit as possible.

“When we get to Easter we are playing Friday/Monday and when we get to the last week of the season we play three in six days with the Birmingham and Peterborough games being moved.”