Mansfield Town: Nigel Clough hopes in-form Stags can avoid further postponements

Nigel Clough has managed teams in 1,130 matches

Mansfield manager Nigel Clough hopes his side can avoid more postponements because of Covid-19 as they look to continue their fine run of form.

The League Two club have won nine of the past 10 games in all competitions.

But Saturday's match against League Two leaders Forest Green Rovers had to be called off.

The English Football League has decided to continue playing matches "where it is safe to do so" despite the spread of the Omicron variant.

"I'm delighted we're continuing, providing everything is safe. I think that's the caveat they put with it," Clough said.

"I've heard positive things from Hartlepool, they should be available to play the game (on Boxing Day), and we're doing everything we can to stay safe to get on the pitch for the three games over Christmas.

"You don't know what's going to happen in the next few weeks in terms of postponements, but you don't want to get too far behind. And from a purely selfish point of view, we don't want it to interrupt our momentum."

Mansfield beat Salford City 2-1 in their last match on 11 December to continue a run of success which followed 15 games earlier in the season without a victory.

"It's not ideal to go 15 days without a game and then all of a sudden you play three in seven days. We'll certainly be using the squad over those three games," Clough added.

"In (the last) 12 months we have had most things thrown at us, (but) I think society has as well, we're not in a bubble in football, but it has been difficult at times.

"We started this season with such optimism with crowds back in, a couple of wins, we should have made it three from the first three, and then we had that horrible six, eight weeks when we couldn't win a game to save our lives and every single thing seemed to be against us.

"We've come out of it in remarkable form, winning nine out of 10. We'd like to continue that and forget about the couple of months when things went against us."

Meanwhile, Mansfield's home league game against Swindon Town has been switched to Tuesday 11 January as the Stags will be playing Championship side Middlesbrough in the FA Cup on the preceding Saturday.