It is a very important period now with so many teams vying for promotion and I like this because it gives everyone a real competitive edge. Soon, we will have the likes of Cardiff, Brentford and the local derby with Peterborough at the Abbey Stadium which will be great.

However, I know that Mansfield are not going to be any walk over. Without doubt they are one of the better teams that we have played this season, even though the scoreline last time we met was not quite as reflective on the result as it should have been.

Their football has been very good this season and I think perhaps if they hadn't had that sticky spell then they would have been further up the table.

Without doubt at this stage, you can't write any team off. This is a very exciting part of the season as clubs are pushing for places to get into the play-offs or into the top three -- of which Mansfield are in the thick of it.

Mansfield play as attractive a football as anyone we've played this season and we know that this is a game that if we don't take our chances, then we are not going to come away with anything other than a draw. We did just that against Barnet last week finding it hard to find any clean cut chances. We just didn't make things happen. But our record at home is excellent and we would like to think that we can continue this sequence.

All week we have been trying to put right what went wrong against Barnet. We've worked a lot on crossing and passing because this was really what our defeat was down to. In fact we dominated the game football and possession wise.

Some people have suggested that perhaps some of the players are feeling the pressure, but I don't share that view. The game just went the wrong way and we want to put it right today, in front of a good crowd, to show that we are still positive and upbeat.

There isn't any doubt that we were disappointed after the game because the goal margin didn't really reflect the type of game it was. Their first was a fluke off someone knees, the second was a good goal but the third was a mistake by Jamie Campbell.

Luckily, we have been fortunate because Cardiff slipped up too and that has helped us stay sit the top.

I have been really pleased with the new boys. Scott Eustace has done very well since he has arrived. I think he was one of our best players at Barnet. He headed and tackled everything and I was very satisfied with his 90 minutes. Sam McMahon had a tough game though, but he still did well.

On the injury front we are pretty good. Some of the players are getting tired and we need them ready and charged up for the run-in over the next couple of weeks. The only main injury worry is Marc Joseph, whose groin strain is coming on.

Hopefully before the deadline, I can bring some more players in to strengthen the squad especially for the promotion push because anything could happen with the injuries and suspensions at that crucial time.