Mansfield Town fitness check as bogey side Accrington visit for cup tie

Manager David Flitcroft will have a close look at the fitness of his players before naming a team to take on bogey side Accrington Stanley in tonight's Carabao Cup first round tie at the One Call Stadium (7.45pm).
Picture by Gareth Williams/AHPIX.com; Football; Sky Bet League Two; Yeovil Town v Mansfield Town; 11/8/18  KO 15:00; Huish Park; copyright picture; Howard Roe/AHPIX.com; Mansfield boss David Flitcroft urges his team on at YeovilPicture by Gareth Williams/AHPIX.com; Football; Sky Bet League Two; Yeovil Town v Mansfield Town; 11/8/18  KO 15:00; Huish Park; copyright picture; Howard Roe/AHPIX.com; Mansfield boss David Flitcroft urges his team on at Yeovil
Picture by Gareth Williams/AHPIX.com; Football; Sky Bet League Two; Yeovil Town v Mansfield Town; 11/8/18 KO 15:00; Huish Park; copyright picture; Howard Roe/AHPIX.com; Mansfield boss David Flitcroft urges his team on at Yeovil

Stags are unbeaten and unchanged in their opening two games of the season, but after a long journey to Yeovil last weekend, Flitcroft said he may tweak the starting XI if needed, though wanted to win the game and progress against a side Stags have failed to beat in their last 13 meetings.

“Potentially we will shake up the pack. It’s a tough travel down to Yeovil – a long way to go,” he said.

“We’ll get the boys refuelled, get the recoveries strategies in and see who comes in with a bounce.

“We are still unbeaten for quite a lot of weeks, I am expecting a bounce from them so we will see where we are at.

“I have told the lads on the bench and beyond on Saturday to make sure they are ready if needed for a massive shift.

“It’s really important we have that winning mentality as a club. Every game is an opportunity to win whether it’s three points or a cup game.

Mansfield Town supporters want to see a competitive team in every game and that’s something I’ve done all my life, being in football.”

Accrington bounced back from their opening day 2-0 home loss to Gillingham with a fine 2-1 win at Bristol Rovers last weekend.

Boss John Coleman said he may make changes for what he expects could be a ‘feisty’ game at Mansfield.

“I don’t like rotating,” he said. “But it might be an opportunity for some of the players who haven’t had any game time to play.

“It’s certainly a competition that we take seriously so we will be trying our utmost to win.

“We played really well on Saturday and we’ve got to try and replicate that and improve on it.”

Stanley’s last trip to the One Call Stadium came towards the end of the League Two title-winning season, Seamus Conneely’s 60th minute goal enough for a 1-0 win in March 2018, and despite a good record against the hosts Coleman is not expecting an easy game.

“It’s a difficult draw,” he said. “They’ve started okay. They’ve got four points, won on the opening day and then drew with Yeovil.

“For me it’s probably the cup competition that produces the most surprises and it’s an opportunity to claim some scalps.

“The ironic thing is that we’re now one of those scalps.

“They’ll be full of confidence and it’s going to be a difficult game. Every time we go there it’s always a feisty game.”

The game must be settled on the night and there will be no extra-time this season, the tie going straight to penalties if there is no winner over the 90 minutes.