Promotional challenge is one Mansfield Town will enjoy, according to Nigel Clough

The Stags still have 12 games left to secure at least one play-off spot, starting with today’s trip to Rochdale.

And instead of seeing it as a mountain to climb, Clough instead determined that his players should not be afraid of what is to come, especially because of the progress made since the turn of the year.

Speaking before the Rochdale game, he said: “I would not say that this was one of the toughest challenges I have faced. Fighting at the other end of the table is much, much harder.

“To go to the top seven in a play-off place, where we came from three months ago, is a great challenge and a great thing to embrace and enjoy and not be afraid of.

“It’s in our own hands. What we have to do is take away those two defeats [against Tranmere and Port Vale] – and I think, in a way, having last weekend off will help, as at certain times of the season you have to clear your head whether you’re unbeaten or lost a few games. It almost starts again.

“Whatever happened in the previous 34/35 games is now irrelevant, it counts for absolutely nothing. All that matters is the remaining matches. There is a reason they call it the business end of the season.

“I’m looking forward to the challenge. I think we have a good squad – I wish we could play more at home, but in the next three we have to raise it and have to get something and get back into the top seven.

“We should have a spring in our step because of the position we were in. We keep reminding the boys that we were second from below just three months ago and people said it would be another relegation battle, but all of a sudden “We’re fighting for the top seven. It’s great.”

Clough added that many of the remaining players away from home will not change the Stags’ approach, saying: “We are a positive team. The two recent away defeats were almost identical statistics, so we are against what’s going on. is, but we try to play the same way.