Mansfield Town will welcome Accrington Stanley on Tuesday evening knowing that a victory would see them secure their spot in League One for next season alongside Stockport County and Wrexham.
The home side are currently third in the League Two table, five points above fourth-placed MK Dons with a game in hand, so a win in this contest would guarantee promotion from the fourth tier.
Match preview
© Reuters
Mansfield will undoubtedly be going for the win on Tuesday, but a point would also all but guarantee their position in League One next season.
Indeed, a draw would move the Stags six points clear of fourth-placed MK Dons with two games left, and they have a substantially better goal difference, so something incredible would have to happen in the last two matches for both sides for a turnaround to occur.
Nigel Clough's side will be looking for all three points, though, as they bid to secure promotion to League One alongside Stockport and Wrexham.
Mansfield had a wobble between March 23 and April 6, only picking up one point from three matches during that period, but they have won their last two against Forest Green Rovers and MK Dons, beating the latter 4-1 on Saturday afternoon to place themselves in an excellent spot in the table.
The Stags have the fifth-best home record in League Two this season, and they will be welcoming an Accrington side that has only managed to win six of their 21 league games on their travels.
© Reuters
Accrington will enter Tuesday's contest off the back of a 4-0 defeat at Doncaster Rovers, with the team unable to build on their 3-1 success against Newport County on April 9.
John Doolan's side currently sit 18th in the League Two table, 14 points ahead of the relegation zone, while they are 11 points behind seventh-placed Crawley Town in the race for the playoffs.
Accrington will therefore again play in League Two next season, with the Reds unable to challenge for a return to League One following their relegation during the 2022-23 campaign.
The Lancashire outfit have back-to-back away fixtures against Mansfield and Stockport before finishing their campaign at home to Tranmere Rovers on April 27.
Accrington suffered a 3-0 defeat to Mansfield in the reverse match earlier this season, while they were also beaten 6-1 by the Stags when the two teams met in the League Cup back in August 2018.
Team News
© Reuters
Mansfield head coach Clough is likely to make a change in the final third of the field for Tuesday's match, with Davis Keillor-Dunn registering twice off the bench in the success over MK Dons.
Keillor-Dunn should therefore come into an attacking position alongside the experienced Lucas Akins, who has found the back of the net on 12 occasions in the league during the 2023-24 campaign.
The hosts have not reported any fresh injury concerns at this stage, so there are unlikely to be any major surprises when it comes to team selection, as the promotion hopefuls look to get the job done.
As for Accrington, their attention will already have switched to next season and those who will be staying at the club will be given priority in the closing stages of the campaign.
Head coach Doolan is expected to make changes from the side that started the 4-0 defeat at Doncaster, with Liam Coyle, Matt Lowe and Dan Martin potentially all coming into the XI.
Jack Nolan has been in excellent scoring form this season, finding the back of the net on 14 occasions in League Two, and he will again operate in a wide position for Accrington on Tuesday night.
Mansfield Town possible starting lineup:
Pym; Hewitt, Flint, Bowery, Williams; Clarke, Reed, Lewis; Boateng; Akins, Keillor-Dunn
Accrington Stanley possible starting lineup:
Vitek; O'Brien, Hills, Gubbins, Shipley; Coyle, Martin; Nolan, Henderson, Whalley; Lowe
We say: Mansfield Town 2-0 Accrington Stanley
Accrington certainly have enough quality to make this an uncomfortable match for a Mansfield team that will be under pressure to pick up a positive result. The hosts are the favourites, though, and we are expecting them to secure promotion to League One with a routine home success on Tuesday night.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
