Stags welcome back Elder to face in-form Luton

The loanee Leicester left back replaced Lee Beevers as Stags prepared to take on a Hatters side without defeat in their last 10 games, a run that has left them in fourth place.

With no other League Two games tonight Mansfield knew victory could see them leapfrog three relegations rivals into 18th place.

There was also a surprise place on the home bench for Chris Clements, who was expected to be sidelined for a few weeks with a gashed ankle.

Luton arrived without suspended central defenders Steve McNulty and Luke Wilkinson and also had new loan signing Cameron McGheehan serving a ban.

Stags were hoping to maintain an unlikely statistic that they had never lost at home to the Hatters in a league clash.

STAGS: Pidgeley; Sutton, Riley, Tafazolli, Elder; Ravenhill, Thomas, Heslop; Lambe, Oliver, Brown. Subs: Studer, Rhead, Bingham, McGuire, Beevers, Clements, Kee.

LUTON: Tyler, Franks, Smith, Lacey, Drury, Howells, Griffiths, Cullen, Harriman. Robinson, Stockley. Subs: Justham, Parry, Layayette, Whalley, Guttridge, Hall, Oduwa.

REFEREE: Kevin Johnson of Somerset.