The Stags have very much been League Two’s draw specialists through the first month of the season with four consecutive stalemates taking their points total tally to seven, when added to their opening day home victory over Newport County.
Unbeaten in the league, they come in to this weekend’s fixture fresh off a very good midweek display, despite the end result, against West Brom in the second round of the Carabao Cup.
They finished just outside the play-off places last term, with 72 points and an eighth spot berth, and have made no secret of the fact that they are looking for an improvement this time round. They currently sit in mid table, poised and ready to kick on.
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Hard to beat
Tyler Walker and Otis Khan have four and three goals respectively, with Khan weighing in with three assists through what has been a very productive start to his campaign.
The Stags have conceded more than once in a game on just one occasion, and have proved to be very difficult to break down.
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Manager’s thoughts
Speaking ahead of the game, United boss John Sheridan said: “They’re a good team and they have some good players. They’re very attack-minded, they want to get forward, and they’re unbeaten for a reason, even though they’ve drawn a few games.
“I know Dave Flitcroft well, he’s a good manager, and his teams always play good football. He knows me as well, he knows what I’m about, so he will be expecting us to compete and to try to get at them.
“We’re going there buoyant and we’re going to try to win it. I want the lads to believe in themselves and, with the good run of form, I want them going there thinking they’re going to get something.
“I want the supporters going down there thinking we’re going to win as well, and I want to get that into everyone involved with the club.”
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Comments from Stags boss David Flitcroft ...
"They [Carlisle] have made a great start. John Sheridan is a born winner and he’s taken that into his management.
"He had a tough job at Fleetwood and he’s gone to Carlisle and started working on what he’s doing there.
“It’ll be a tough game. Our performances, and certainly what we’ve done this season [has been good].
"I’m really looking forward after a string of away games to play in front of our home supporters again.
"We just have to make sure we are better in the final third and more ruthless and clinical in that last third. That’s the bit that’s missing."
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Did You Know?
+ After becoming Mansfield Town in 1910, the club originally played in red and white and later black and white before changing to their now recognised yellow.
+ The Stags became the first British team to go unbeaten in a 23-game season during the 1950/51 campaign, but finished second in the league.
+ The club has won only one cup in their history - the Football League Trophy in 1987. It came after a penalty shootout victory over Bristol City.
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Head to Head
The clubs have met a total of 76 times in all competitions with a fairly even split along the way. United have won 29 of the encounters with Mansfield edging with 30 to their win tally.
|
Carlisle wins |
Draws |
Mansfield wins |
|
|
League |
27 |
16 |
29 |
|
Cup |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
FA Cup |
2 |
1 |
0 |
|
Total |
29 |
17 |
30 |
Last season saw these two teams slug out a 1-1 draw at Brunton Park, in September, with Hallam Hope bagging an early goal with just 15 minutes on the clock. The Stags rallied after the break and Calum Butcher got the goal that eventually led to a share of the points just before the hour mark.
Watch the highlights from that game here:
A poor first half for the Blues at Field Mill on New Year’s Day saw them trail by two goals at the break, courtesy of finishes from Kane Hemmings and Rhys Bennett, but Carlisle thought they’d given themselves hope when Jamie Devitt bit back from the penalty spot. Any signs of a resurgence were stamped out when Hemmings scored his second of the day with 15 minutes left on the clock.
Watch the highlights from that game here:
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Man in the middle:
The referee for this game is Mr Darren Drysdale. Darren has taken charge of five games so far this season and has shown 18 yellow cards and one red.
We met him twice last season – coincidentally for this very fixture on New Year’s Day. See above for the highlights and details of that fixture. John O’Sullivan and Richie Bennett were the United names that went in the book that afternoon.
He was also the man in the middle for our trip to face Notts County a month later, in February. Jamie Devitt scored a late consolation, but a first half brace from Jon Stead had already done the damage. No Carlisle names were taken on the day.
Referee - Darren Drysdale
Assistant Referee 1 - Wayne Grunnill
Assistant Referee 2 - Richard Wigglesworth
Fourth Official - Matthew Jones
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Ticket information:
At time of going to press, United have sold 216 away tickets for this fixture.
Tickets are available on the day, but there is a £2 increase in price.
Click HERE for full match ticket information.
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