BIG MATCH PREVIEW: Oxford United v Mansfield Town - Tuesday, 9th February 2016

Fifth-placed Mansfield Town head for third-placed Oxford United in the first of two massive games for the Stags this week, with a match away to second-placed Plymouth Argyle looming on Saturday.

Stags’ hard-earned 2-1 win against Morecambe on Saturday saw them chalk up a third win on the bounce for the second time this season, despite top scorer Matt Green being suspended.

Mansfield will head for Oxford with no fear as their away form this season has been superb with eight wins and two draws from 14 games on the road.

But the Stags are aware that they are still yet to beat any club in the top half of the table all season – a remarkable statistic considering their strong position.

A win would see Stags achieve the 50 points most clubs target to be safe from the drop already and push them to within one point of the automatic top three promotion places.

Mansfield racked up 48 points from 46 Sky Bet League Two matches last season, and a draw at Oxford would see that number equalled.

In addition, Murray’s men scored 38 goals in the previous campaign, which they’ve already improved on by three with 16 games left to play.

On Saturday Scott Shearer became the first Stags player to save two separate penalties in one game, apart from shoot-outs – a feat that saw him named in the Football League’s Team of the Week.

Click HERE to see video highlights of Stags’ win over Morecambe on Saturday.

STAGS TEAM NEWS

Mansfield Town welcome top scorer Matt Green back from a one-game ban and he is likely to go back in against his old club, probably in place of Craig Westcarr.

Otherwise Adam Murray has a full squad to choose from, including loanees Daniel Alfei, yet to make his debut, and Sean Kavanagh.

But he is unlikely to make many changes after Saturday’s fine display.

POSSIBLE STAGS STARTING XI

Shearer

Collins

Pearce

Tafazolli

Benning

McGuire

Clements

Baxendale

Blair

Green

Beardsley

POSS SUBS

Jensen

Chapman

Westcarr

Yussuf

Lambe

Thomas

Alfei

OXFORD TEAM NEWS

United’s only absentee is striker Ryan Taylor (groin).

It is expected Sam Slocombe will over from Benji Buchel in goal after the latter came in for the JPT area final second leg against Millwall last Tuesday.

POSSIBLE OXFORD STARTING XI

Slocombe

Kenny

Mullins

Wright

Skarz

MacDonald

Sercombe

Lundstram

O’Dowda

Roofe

Hylton

POSS SUBS

Buchel

Dunkley

Evans

Ruffels

Ismail

Maguire

Bowery.

KEY BATTLE: CHRIS CLEMENTS v JOHN LUNDSTRAM

Chris Clements and John Lundstram will be both be trying to pick out the match-winning pass from their wide repertoire of razor-sharp defence-opening balls.

Lundstram quietly gets on with his job in the centre of Oxford’s successful midfield.

The former Everton trainee keeps United ticking over and is arguably the best passer of the ball in their side.

OXFORD ONE TO WATCH: KEMAR ROOFE

Kemar Roofe is beyond any shadow of a doubt, United’s star man. He has 18 goals to his name in all competitions this season and has the quality to be playing in a higher league.

He has scored some vital goals for Oxford already this year, including a late free-kick to beat Dagenham, while his quality has been for all to see on the big stage as he netted twice in the 3-2 win over Swansea City in the FA Cup.

Click HERE to watch Kemar Roofe score from 40 yards out this season.

OPPOSITION MANAGER: MICHAEL APPLETON

After a difficult start to his time at the club last season, head coach Michael Appleton steered United away from trouble with an eight-match unbeaten run and they have not looked back since.

Appleton has assembled a small but competitive squad and they have only lost twice at home this season.

Salford-born, as a player he was a midfielder who played from 1994 to 2003 at Manchester United, Lincoln City, Grimsby Town, West Brom and Preston North End, his playing career cut short by a serious knee injury.

He was the assistant head coach at West Bromwich Albion and in November 2011, Appleton was appointed manager of Portsmouth.

Just under a year later he became manager of Blackpool, but after just over two months left to become manager of Blackburn Rovers on January 11th 2013. However, 67 days later he was sacked.

On July 4th 2014 Appleton became the new head coach of Oxford.

Click HERE to see Michael Appleton interview after recent FA Cup win over Swansea.

OXFORD SEASON SO FAR

Oxford have had quite a season so far, sitting third in Sky Bet League Two, reaching the final of the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy and the fourth round of the FA Cup.

Despite the cup runs, the club have never hidden their main objective of winning promotion and are staying level-headed about the distractions of a Wembley final on April 3rd.

The club have publicly stated that failure to get promotion this season is not an option and have stayed on course so fat.

LAST MEETING

Saturday, 22nd August 2015: Mansfield Town 1, Oxford United 1

Despite taking a third minute lead, Mansfield Town then missed a penalty and were eventually pegged back for a 1-1 home draw.

It had all begun so brightly for the Stags against one of the fancied teams in the division as Craig Westcarr marked his full debut with a goal after only three minutes.

Matt Green should have doubled that lead after eight minutes when Stags were awarded their first penalty kick in 86 games, but blasted it again the crossbar.

After half-an-hour United came into the game strongly and it took a good save from Brian Jensen and the woodwork to keep Mansfield ahead.

However, Oxford were level from the spot on 59 minutes through Kemar Roofe, though Stags were furious with the decision.

In the end the visitors looked the more likely to win it with Stags rarely threatening after the break.

Click HERE to read a full match report

THE KASSAM STADIUM

To reach the Kassam Stadium, Leave the M40 at junction 8a. Follow the A40 to the first roundabout (McDonalds Family Restaurant is on left hand side).

Take the first exit towards Cowley and Newbury A34 and follow the brown football signs which will take you to the stadium.

There is plenty of parking at the stadium or next door on the leisure complex.

The ground is named after its owner and former chairman of the football club Firoz Kassam and hosted its first football match on August 4th 2001.

The attendance record at the Kassam Stadium is 12,243.

This was for Oxford’s final match of the 2005/06 League Two season, a 3-2 defeat by Leyton Orient that sealed their relegation from the Football League.

Tickets can be purchased on the day from the North Ticket Office at the Kassam Stadium, adjacent to the visitors’ turnstiles, but payment is cash only.

Prices are adults £20, over-65/student £13, U18 £13, U13 £5 or U7 free with a paying adult

Disabled supporters should contact Oxford United directly on 01865 337533.

Match report and reaction at www.chad.co.uk after the game.