Preview: Mansfield Town vs Rotherham United - prediction, team news, lineups

Both aiming to get back to winning ways in League One, Mansfield Town and Rotherham United will do battle at the One Call Stadium on Saturday.

The hosts fell short away at Port Vale last time out, while their visitors suffered a second straight defeat.

Match preview

Mansfield Town head into the weekend aiming to end a six-match winless run across all competitions, including four games in League One.

Aiming to build on a 17th-placed finish in their first season back in the third tier last time around, the Stags enjoyed a pleasing start, moving onto nine points from five outings with three straight victories over Exeter City, Blackpool and Leyton Orient in August.

They have failed to add another notch to their wins column in four further attempts since, though, with the only points since those three triumphs coming from draws against Lincoln City and Stevenage either side of a loss to Wycombe Wanderers.

A trip to Port Vale then followed at the weekend, and Nigel Clough's side again came away empty-handed following a 2-1 defeat, having played for 76 minutes with 10 men, as Ronan Curtis put the hosts back ahead in the 95th minute after Rhys Oates looked to have earned the Stags a point.

They now head back into action on home turf aiming to rebuild momentum and kickstart another winning run at the weekend.

Their visitors, meanwhile, make the trip to Nottinghamshire aiming to bounce back from consecutive league defeats of their own and a tricky start to the League One campaign.

After a 13th-placed finish last time around following Championship relegation, Rotherham United have been slow out of the blocks in their first full season under the management of Matt Hamshaw, earning just seven points from their first eight outings.

The most recent of their two victories thus far came at home to Exeter City in early September thanks to a Denzel Hall goal, but they have failed to build on that since, firstly visiting newly-promoted AFC Wimbledon and suffering a 2-1 defeat after leading through Jordan Hugill at the interval.

The Millers then hosted Stockport County last weekend and again came away empty-handed as Kyle Wootton netted the only goal of the game for the visitors on the hour mark.

Now returning to action in 21st spot after eight league games, Rotherham United will be desperate to bounce back to winning ways, begin an improved run and climb up the table on Saturday.

Mansfield Town League One form:

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Mansfield Town form (all competitions):

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Rotherham United League One form:

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Rotherham United form (all competitions):

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Team News

Mansfield Town are unable to call on defender Ryan Sweeney, who is suspended after being sent off early in last week's defeat to Port Vale, meaning Stephen McLaughlin will likely come into the back four from the outset.

They should also remain without defenders Deji Oshilaja, Luke Bolton and Baily Cargill, who are confined to the treatment room, likely alongside Regan Hendry, George Maris and Louis Reed.

Aaron Lewis will keep his place in midfield if Maris and Reed's absences continue, while Tyler Roberts and Will Evans will hope to partner up in attack again with the latter having managed two league goals so far this season after netting 14 in League One last time around.

Rotherham United continue to contend with several injury issues, as defenders Tom Holmes and Sean Raggett and attackers Sam Nombe, Martin Sherif and Kion Etete should miss out again.

Left light in attack, Matt Hamshaw may again deploy Joshua Kayode alongside Jordan Hugill up front, although Denzel Hall may be handed an attacking role from the outset.

Kian Spence could come back into the midfield from the start alongside Daniel Gore and Joe Powell, while Sheffield United loanee Jamal Baptiste should again join Joe Rafferty and Zak Jules at the back in the absence of Raggett and Holmes.

Mansfield Town possible starting lineup:

Roberts; Knoyle, Bowery, Blake-Tracy, McLaughlin; McDonnell, Lewis, Gardner; Moriah-Welsh; Roberts, Evans

Rotherham United possible starting lineup:

Dawson; Rafferty, Baptiste, Jules; Martha, Gore, Powell, Spence, James; Hall, Hugill