Preview: Mansfield Town vs Barnsley - prediction, team news, lineups

Separated by two places and four points in the middle of the League One table, Mansfield Town and Barnsley will do battle at the One Call Stadium on Saturday.

The hosts got back to winning ways in midweek, while their 13th-placed visitors managed a creditable draw to move within seven points of the playoff spots.

Match preview

Mansfield Town head into the weekend aiming to move back within touching distance of League One's top half after a rebound victory in midweek.

After 34 outings in England's third tier, fewer than every side in the top half, the Stags sit 15th with 44 points on the board from 34 outings, having dropped as a result of a dip in form early in the new year.

Between mid-January and early March, Nigel Clough's side went winless in nine league games, albeit drawing six of those, before eventually dropping out of the FA Cup at the round-of-16 stage last weekend, losing 2-1 at home to Premier League leaders Arsenal after a valiant effort, in which they sat level briefly in the second half thanks to a Will Evans goal.

Then aiming to arrest a slide towards the wrong end of the division, the Stags hosted Reading on Tuesday and succeeded in returning to winning ways as Louis Reed scored the only goal in a 1-0 triumph 20 minutes from time.

Now sitting 15th and four points behind 12th spot with two games in hand, Mansfield Town will aim to make it back-to-back wins on Saturday with their full focus now on their league position.

Their visitors, meanwhile, make the trip to Nottinghamshire aiming to crack the top half and give their faint playoff hopes a boost with an away win.

Barnsley's League One season under Conor Hourihane has been defined by inconsistency thus far, with their 34 matches producing 13 wins, 12 losses and 48 points.

Thanks to their games in hand over the teams above them, the Reds have kept themselves in the hunt for a top-six spot with a pleasing run in recent weeks, though, earning nine 10 points from their last six matches thanks to wins over Peterborough United, Leyton Orient and Exeter City.

On the back of the latter last weekend, the South Yorkshire outfit hosted second-placed Cardiff City in midweek and shared the spoils in a commendable 1-1 draw, having fallen behind to an early Rubin Colwill goal and levelled in the 22nd minute through Scott Banks.

Now sitting 13th, but trailing sixth-placed Huddersfield Town by seven points with two games in hand, and at least one in hand on every top-half team, Barnsley will bid to make it three games unbeaten and pick up an away win at the weekend to climb closer towards the playoff battle.

Mansfield Town League One form:

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Mansfield Town form (all competitions):

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Barnsley League One form:

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Team News

Mansfield Town may remain without Baily Cargill, Ryan Sweeney, Luke Bolton and George Maris on Saturday due to injuries.

They may be unchanged from the midweek victory over Reading, other than the enforced absence of Jon Russell who will drop out against his parent club.

Tottenham Hotspur loanee George Abbott should again join key man Louis Reed in the engine room, while Victor Adeboyejo will hope to again join Evans up front despite competition from Rhys Oates.

Barnsley are unable to call on Josh Earl, Patrick Kelly and Tawanda Chirewa as they remain confined to the treatment room.

Hourihane should field a similar starting XI from their midweek draw with Cardiff, but danger man Reyes Cleary should come back into the attack having notched up six goals and 12 assists in League One this season.

He and Adam Phillips may join Tuesday's goalscorer Banks in support of veteran front man David McGoldrick, who has netted 13 league goals this term.

Mansfield Town possible starting lineup:

Roberts; Hewitt, Oshilaja, Blake-Tracy; Akins, Reed, Abbott, Hendry, McLaughlin; Adeboyejo, Evans

Barnsley possible starting lineup:

Goodman; O'Keefe, De Gevigney, O'Connell, Shepherd; Bland, Connell; Banks, Phillips, Cleary; McGoldrick

We say: Mansfield Town 1-1 Barnsley

With the hosts rejuvenated from a midweek victory, we anticipate a close encounter on Saturday and see the Stags sharing the points against a Barnsley team growing in confidence.

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