MATCH PREVIEW: Mansfield Town vs Salford City – The Ammies visit in-form Mansfield

Number 57, CC BY 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Salford City travels to Nottinghamshire this Saturday to face Mansfield Town, and the Ammies could climb above the Stags, into 11th place, with a win.

Salford is currently sitting in 15th place in League 2, with 24 points from 19 games, whereas, Mansfield occupies 11th position, with a 26 point return from 20 games. The fixture is only the fourth ever competitive meeting between the two sides.

The Ammies come into the match off the back of a 2-0 FA Cup Second Round defeat at home to Chesterfield last Sunday and are hoping to bounce back with a better result this weekend.

Mansfield was victorious in their FA Cup second-round fixture last weekend, defeating Doncaster 3-2 away from home to set up a third-round match-up with Championship outfit, Middlesbrough.

The Stags beat Carlisle 1-0 at home in their last league game, in midweek, meanwhile, Salford had a week to prepare for the fixture, with their scheduled midweek match away at Barrow postponed due to a waterlogged pitch. Their last league result was a 2-0 win at home to Oldham on the 27th of November.

Salford’s Ian Henderson, D’mani Mellor, and Corrie Ndaba are all injury doubts, while Ashley Hunter will serve the final match of his three-game suspension for the red card he picked up in the 1-1 draw with Bristol Rovers.

Mansfield man, Ollie Hawkins, could make his return from suspension, however, is a doubt with illness. Defender, Richard Nartey, midfielder, Ollie Clarke, and forwards, Rhys Oates and Danny Johnson are also doubts.

The Ammies are hoping the weather can hold out for the trip to Field Mill, after the postponement of the midweek game at Barrow, and the previous league game against Oldham being heavily affected by the conditions.

Gary Bowyer had this to say following the Oldham win:

“It was terrible conditions for both sides and it was very difficult to get the ball down and play, but I think the spirit that we showed again from the other night, down to nine men and getting a draw, carried over to today. 

“We’re delighted with the three points and to end the week and get seven out of nine is fantastic.”