Keeping Focus | Stevenage 0-1 Stags

Sky Bet League Two | Saturday 17th April 2021 – Lamex Stadium [Behind Closed Doors]

A long overdue win for Mansfield Town saw Clough’s men move within one game of securing their league status for the following campaign, as with four games remaining, the Stags are eleven points clear of second-bottom Southend with twelve points to play for.

All the Stags need to do now is match whatever Southend do on Tuesday evening – as maintaining the 11-point gap as a minimum, would see an eleven-point gap with only nine points left to play for, equalling safety – maths kids, got to love it!

Ryan Sweeney’s 24th minute goal proved the difference in a match of little quality, but the Stags did what was needed when it mattered and kept a vital clean sheet, thanks in no small part to Aidan Stone who made four or five good saves to further highlight his standing as first choice keeper.

The key thing to do in our precarious position is keep clean sheets so when called upon you need the shot stopper to do the routine things, Stone did that very well and certainly earned his clean sheet.

Performances don’t matter at this point; points however do – let’s get the job done on Tuesday evening and then enjoy the final three games, ending the campaign strongly and giving us a little ripple bounce ahead of the new season.

We all know that there will be a big overhaul in players to get us into a position where we can compete for a top seven finish, however all of that is for playing out in the close season so let’s leave the discussions for then!

For the players that are here now, contracted beyond this season or not, this is the chance to go and earn a future and finish strongly – if you look at our last four games, I see no reason why we can’t get at least seven more points.

Roll on Tuesday night!   

Click HERE to read the clubs official match report.

​STAGS: Aidan Stone | James Perch ©, Farrend Rawson, Ryan Sweeney, Stephen McLaughlin | George Maris, Stephen Quinn (Ollie Clarke 53), George Lapslie (Jason Law 61) | Jamie Reid, Tyrese Sinclair (Harry Charsley 86), Jordan Bowery Unused Subs: Marek Stech, Mal Benning, Kellan Gordon, Keaton Ward