Mansfield Preview

It’s a great time to be a Boro supporter at the moment. The team are playing well and are winning games consistently. Graham Westley has turned what looked like being an average mid-table team in November into arguably the best team in the league by April and they have nearly secured their place in the BSP play-offs. The win over Kidderminster on Tuesday night has put Boro in the driving seat as they travel north to Mansfield for the last game of the season. A win will definitely put Stevenage into the top 5, while a point or even defeat, assuming other results go our way will also be enough.

Mansfield are a good side. If they hadn’t been deducted points earlier in the season, then they may have made an outside bid for the play-offs themselves. New manager David Holdsworth has made a good start to his managerial career at Field Mill and is picking up some valuable points. By the looks of it Holdsworth is already planning for next season, when I expect the Stags will be a threat in the promotion race. He has made some astute signings and slowly, but surely they have began climbing the table.

“We must recognise that we are playing a team that are in the play-offs. They are a big strong organised team but I don’t think you can take your foot off the gas and field a weakened side, that would be disrespectful. We’re professional and I must make sure we do things correctly because that’s out of respect for other managers who think ‘will they roll over?’, well we won’t.” Holdsworth on the prospect of facing Stevenage

The hosts have nothing left to play for this season, but as Holdsworth says they will be professional and be looking to end their season on a high so they can go into next season full of optimism. Graham Westley will make sure his players are totally switched on for what will be a tough game. Luckily for Boro, it seems the Stags are in the middle of an injury crisis. Players such as Rob Duffy, Gary Silk and Curtis Woodhouse look doubtful. Boro only have the two injury doubts, with Jon Ashton unlikely to make Sunday and David Bridges still a long term absentee.

We’ve done incredibly well to get this far. 2009 has been a fantastic year so for Stevenage and we have to make sure we complete the job on Sunday. The support will be amazing and I’m sure the team won’t throw it all away at the last minute. We can win this game and if we do that it will give us a great edge going into the play-offs and FA Trophy Final. Come on BORO!!!

Prediction: Mansfield 1-2 Boro