Two struggling sides face each other in League Two action on Saturday, when Mansfield Town welcome Oldham Athletic to the One Call Stadium.

With only one side placed below them in the league table heading into the weekend's round of fixtures, both teams will view their opponent as the ideal opportunity to kickstart their campaigns.

Match preview

Since missing out on promotion to League One via the playoffs in the 2018-19 season, Mansfield have had to settle for disappointing mid-table and bottom-half finishes in the fourth tier of English football, with finishes in and around their opponents Oldham in recent years too.

After winning back-to-back games at home to Bristol Rovers and Newport County to begin the new campaign, hopes will have been high for the side's fortunes in the upcoming months.

However, with no victories in any competition since, and seven defeats from those 10 matches that have followed, hope has quickly turned to fear and desperation for the Stags.

Prior to a midweek defeat to League One side Sheffield Wednesday in the EFL Trophy, Town lost 1-0 at home to Barrow last weekend in another disappointing display for manager Nigel Clough.

Despite having good control of the ball, and attempting plenty of shots, they struggled to threaten the opposition goalkeeper on a regular basis, and could have easily fallen further behind were it not for their visitors missing some excellent opportunities.

After conceding the only goal of the game via a penalty in the second half, Mansfield's misery was piled on when central defender Farrend Rawson received a straight red card in the dying stages for taking down an opponent that was through on goal.

Meanwhile, visitors Oldham head to the One Call Stadium on Saturday in a somehow poorer state than their hosts it appears.

Another series of protests against the club's ownership have taken place recently, with supporters unhappy at the turmoil at their club in recent years, and performances on the pitch perhaps partially suffering as a result.

More senior figures continue to leave the club at board level too, whilst new manager Keith Curle continues to struggle to produce results from his playing staff, since arriving in the summer.

The Latics find themselves sitting in 23rd place ahead of their trip to Mansfield, who sit one place and two points above them in the table.

Losing the opening four league games to start the new season proved to be a sign of things to come for Curle and his side, with just two league wins and a single draw to show for their efforts in the opening 10 matches.

With no midweek EFL Trophy tie being played this week, Oldham will have the fresher legs at the weekend, and will be looking to bounce back from their 2-1 defeat at home to Harrogate Town last weekend, when Harry Vaughan's second-half goal proved to be just a consolation in the end after a poor performance in the final third of the pitch again in particular.

Team News

After his red card last weekend, Rawson will miss out for the hosts on Saturday, with Stephen Quinn and Tyrese Sinclair joining him on the suspension list too.

Clough will be light on defenders for this match, with Kellan Gordon, James Perch, George Cooper and Richard Nartey being ruled out through injury, and joining fellow defender Rawson on the sidelines as a result.

However, on-loan defender William Forrester has not yet featured for the club since arriving on deadline day, but has a chance of making the matchday squad for the first time this weekend.

Midfielder Ryan Stirk is ruled out through injury but captain Ollie Clarke is expected to be available despite suffering a broken nose recently.

As for Oldham, young midfielder Vaughan will be unable to make the trip after being called up to represent the Republic of Ireland Under-19s this week, which is a big miss for the visitors' midfield.

After missing out through illness against Harrogate last weekend, defender Benny Couto will have to be checked on again. Jack Stobbs took his place in the starting lineup last weekend, so will be expected to do so again should his teammate miss out.

Mansfield Town possible starting lineup:
Bishop; Hewitt, Forrester, Hawkins, McLaughlin; Charsley, Maris, Clarke; Lapslie; Oates, Bowery

Oldham Athletic possible starting lineup:
Leutwiler; Clarke, McGahey, Piergianni; Stobbs, Diarra, Whelan, Fage; Keillor-Dunn, Dearnley, Bahamboula

We say: Mansfield Town 1-1 Oldham Athletic

On paper this does not appear to be an exciting encounter on Saturday, with plenty of doom and gloom surrounding both sides currently. Neither have put together any run of form recently so a dull draw is our prediction for this one.

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