Postponement Leaves Stags Short Up Top

With the Bulls due to visit Field Mill on Saturday, Mansfield boss Paul Cox is still looking for reinforcements to his forward line.

Having had Tuesday's trip to Macclesfield postponed late, much to Cox's anger at the Silkmen's handling of it, they face the Bulls without striker Matt Green. The former Cardiff man, who hit 30 goals last term, was due to sit out the last of a three game ban on Tuesday but will now have to miss the Bulls' visit.

Despite having big money resources at his disposal, Cox is having to juggle finances to meet his needs after his summer recruitment drive produced some disappointing on-pitch results. After being second favourites in the pre-season betting, the Stags are only goal difference above the Bulls and, like Martin Foyle's men, are also sitting on a negative goal difference.

Cox reports that he has only Matt Rhead and former Wrexham man Jake Speight available as forward options for Saturday's game, touted as a 'must win' in the local press to keep up their promotion hopes. While Green is suspended, Ross Dyer is out for the season with a knee injury, and Nick Wright and Ben Hutchinson are also both nursing knocks. The manager told the local press:

"We went into last Saturday with two fit strikers and when you have aspirations like ourselves, that is not going to benefit you. In the second half we played with a central midfielder up front. We have to compete with the likes of Luton and I would like to bring in another striker and I have to look at doing a bit of wheeling and dealing.

"We are expected to be challenging and to go into a long period of games with two available strikers is not good. We have options with both loans and free transfers but a lot has to be done."

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