Preview: Mansfield Town vs. Harrogate Town - prediction, team news, lineups

Just days after they met in the EFL Trophy, Mansfield Town and Harrogate Town will collide once again in League Two action.

This time the game will happen at Field Mill on Saturday and the Stags will be hoping for a more positive result after being defeated 3-1 in the cup.

Match preview

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Mansfield Town travelled to West Yorkshire on Tuesday in the first game of the EFL Trophy, but they were dealt a heavy blow when they were beaten comfortably.

A hat-trick from Danilo Orsi-Dadomo helped the Sulphurites pick up three points in the group, with a 66th-minute goal from George Lapslie not being enough to help get his team back into the game.

The defeat marked a fourth straight fixture without a win for Nigel Clough's men, making it three defeats in a row with the team conceding seven goals in those losses.

Despite the difficulties the Stags have faced as of late, they did make a positive start to the season with victories against Bristol Rovers and Newport County.

Because of those wins and their draw with Colchester United, Mansfield do find themselves in seventh place and they only trail Harrogate by three points in League Two.

Clough's squad do need to tighten up defensively though, especially late on in games as they have dropped points already due to goals in the last five minutes against both Colchester and Bradford City.

The Sulphurites were a victim of not seeing out a game in their last league outing as they let in a 79th-minute strike against Exeter City to draw 1-1, dropping points for the first time this season.

However, Harrogate have also won twice this season due to late goals, as their victories against both Barrow and Rochdale came due to strikes in the final 10 minutes, which the Stags will be wary of.

Team News

George Shelvey made his debut for Mansfield in the 3-1 loss to Harrogate Town after joining the Stags on loan from Nottingham Forest, and Nigel Clough now has a choice to make about whether he gives the young man another start or brings Nathan Bishop back in.

Both James Perch and Ryan Stirk remain injured at the moment, but the club did bring in two new faces to provide defensive cover during transfer deadline day.

Richard Nartey joins Mansfield on loan from Burnley, while William Forrester has been brought in from Stoke City, although he will stay with his parent club for now as he rehabs an injury.

Simon Power was able to start midweek, despite picking up a knock in training prior to the EFL Trophy game and his fast recovery was a major boost to Harrogate.

Jack Diamond has also returned to the club at the end of the transfer window for his second loan spell and he could find himself walking into the starting lineup.

Orsi-Dadomo certainly put himself in contention to start this game after scoring three goals against Clough's men just a few days ago, which he will be hungry to repeat.

Mansfield Town possible starting lineup:
Bishop; Gordon, Rawson, Hewitt, McLaughlin; Maris, Clarke, Quinn, Lapslie; Hawkins, Johnson

Harrogate Town possible starting lineup:
Oxley; Fallowfield, Smith, McArdle, Page; Pattison, Power, Kerry; Orsi-Dadomo, Armstrong, Diamond

We say: Mansfield Town 1-3 Harrogate Town

Harrogate Town head into this game with a lot of confidence having just beaten their opponents days before, and there is no doubt that will give them a psychological advantage.

The fixture brings two of the strongest teams from League Two together, both of which will be hoping to be in promotion contention come the end of the season, but at the moment the Sulphurites have a little more quality which should secure them the win.

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