Two teams in highly contrasting forms go head-to-head at One Call Stadium on Friday evening as Mansfield Town entertain the challenge of Doncaster Rovers.

The hosts are currently on a run of three victories on the bounce, while their visitors set out looking to avoid a fourth consecutive defeat.

Match preview

Mansfield cruised to a relatively routine triumph over Grimsby Town as they ran out 2-0 winners when the teams faced off on Boxing Day.

Nigel Clough's men broke the deadlock in the 19th minute through Davis Keillor-Dunn before doubling their advantage in first-half stoppage time thanks to George Maris.

Consequently, the Stags have moved up to third place in the League Two table, five points adrift of leaders Stockport County with two games in hand.

Up next is the task of facing off against an opposing outfit who are without a win in the most recent five editions of this fixture since 2021, losing four of them.

Having conceded the fewest number of goals on home turf in the division, Friday's hosts will back themselves to keep their visitors at bay en route to another positive result in front of their fans.

Doncaster came away empty-handed from their meeting against Notts County, which ended in a 3-0 defeat at Meadow Lane on Tuesday afternoon.

After spurning a glorious opportunity to open the scoring from 12 yards, Grant McCann's men went into the interval down by two following strikes from Dan Crowley and Macaulay Langstaff before Aaron Nemane sealed the deal in the early exchanges of the second half.

With 24 points picked up from 23 matches so far, the Rovers sit 20th in the standings, seven points clear of relegation danger heading into the second half of the campaign.

Currently without a goal in their last two matches on the road leading up to Friday's contest, the away side have work to do at the top end of the pitch if they are to secure a positive result here.

Team News

Davis Keillor-Dunn has found the back of the net in two of his last three matches for Mansfield, making him one to keep an eye on here.

Having had to settle for a place on the bench in each of the last two matches, Calum MacDonald will be targeting a return to the starting line up.

Despite missing a penalty last time out, Joe Ironside has been directly involved in 12 of Doncaster's 26 league goals this term and will be looking to deliver the goods once again.

Twenty-year-old Louie Marsh remains without an appearance since October due to a knee injury, which will keep him out of Friday's contest.

Mansfield Town possible starting lineup:
Pym; Johnson, Flint, Cargill, Bowery; Reed, Brunt, Quinn; Maris, Akins, Keillor-Dunn

Doncaster Rovers possible starting lineup:
Lawlor; Nixon, Senior, Anderson, Olowu, Sterry; Biggins, Bailey, Close; Ironside, Molyneux

We say: Mansfield Town 2-0 Doncaster Rovers

Mansfield have been in imperious form of late and are huge favourites to come out on top here. We fully expect the home side to get the job done come the end of the 90 minutes.


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