PREVIEW: ‘Avoiding The One For Sorrow’ Notts County (H)

Mansfield Town’s performances over the past week has been nothing short of poor, at that’s putting it kindly – but tomorrow is Derby Day where as we know, the form book goes out of the window… Although that fact alone isn’t enough to get us through.

Not for a second can Mansfield sit back and think Derby Day emotion and adrenaline will carry them through, it may have been enough in the past – but this is a Notts County side who really, we should take our hats off too – they’re much improved, playing good football and riding a crest of a wave.

In a league fixture Notts County haven’t beaten the Stags since 2005 when the Stags threw away a 2-1 lead to lose 3-2 with minutes to go. The Stags have enjoyed bragging rights for ages and with County reborn and rejuvenated – the Magpies will be looking to inflict one result of Sorrow on Mansfield Town.

Kevin Nolan has County fired up and in good form, showing the talent that he is as a manager, where as at the moment Steve Evans just has his players confused - we have to forget his nine promotions of football past, we have to forget the bookmakers favourite tag, we have to go back to basics.

Other than Luton at home, we’ve not played with the flare – and even then we we’re consistent as one simple move from the opposing management and it fell apart quicker than a knocked off game of jenga.

We are capable of playing with flare, and we are capable of staying tight at the back – let’s combine the two tomorrow and see the game through. County will of course come and try to wind up Steve Evans, they’ll come and rough the game up too – if ever there was a need for Jamie McGuire then this is it!

We can play our part too, by singing loud and not getting on our players back – we’ve been successful over county in previous seasons because right from the heart of the dressing room we’ve had players and staff who understood the rivalry, who understood what getting a win meant to the supporters.

Steve Evans is many things but he’s not a local, the players he’s assembled are many things, but they’re not long serving at Mansfield Town and as such, haven’t seen the change in mood and atmosphere on Derby Day at MTFC – of course they’ll have played in similar games at other clubs, but that’s not the same – we all know things are different here!

We have to start well and be consistent, if we do – we’ll win! Notts County will have a whiff of arrogance about them considering the run they’re on, if we can get under their skin we should be ok, but not for a second will it be easy.

We need passion, we need pride, we need bite – liverpudlian bite…. Sadly that’ll be in Forest Town at 3pm with Boston United against AFC Mansfield! Seriously though, we just need to go back to basics and do the simple things.

It’s going to be without doubt the most hard fought, hotly contested Mansfield Town V Notts County encounter in years – PLEASE boys, turn up, put a shift in, win and most importantly learn from Tuesday and PLAY TO THE ******* WHISTLE!

​COME ON YOU STAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGSSSSSSSSSSSS