The Stags are in Town

Had this game been played a month earlier, it may well have been billed as the most important game of the season.

Notts County fans would have gone into the match with the upmost confidence of completing the double over their dearest rivals. Going into February, the Magpies were outside the League Two playoff positions only on goal difference and were sat nine league places and 11 points ahead of the Stags.

A month on, the tale couldn't be any more different. Notts have all-but given up hope of gaining promotion from the division this season, having lost all five of their matches in the past month. Mansfield, meanwhile, didn't lose in February and go into the game as favourites.

Shirtliff: Rejuvinated

Peter Shirtliff's team have won two and drawn three of their past five games and are now just two points behind County in the League Two table.

A win tomorrow will see them go above Gudjon Thordarson's men for the first time this season.

Make no mistake about it, the Stags have come a long way since their 3-2 defeat to Notts earlier in the season at Field Mill. Slowly, Shirtliff has been able to repair the damage caused by Carlton Palmer and has now finally managed to steer his side away from the lower-reaches of the division.

Though too late to form an unlikely promotion push, Stags fans will be hoping that their team's resurgence will last long enough for their team to finish above the Magpies for the second season in a row.

For Notts, that would be a major embarrassment.

Mansfield have been consistently threatening to eclipse the Magpies without actually doing so in the past few years.

Managed by Keith Curle, they missed out on promotion to League One only by a penalty shoot-out. With the Magpies relegated to League Two, Liam Lawrence's pathetic chipped penalty caused much relief - and hilarity - among the Notts faithful.

Last season saw Mansfield not only finish six league places clear of the Magpies but also complete the double over their local neighbours. This despite off-the-field upheaval that saw the appointment of Palmer after an acrimonious departure for Curle.

This year, with the appointment of the experienced Thordarson inspiring Notts to the top of League Two in August, it seemed that the County fans wouldn't have to worry about their 'little' neighbours from up-the-road daring to finish about them again this year.

Now, it seems likely.

Barker: Dangerman

One look at the two team-sheets makes it clear as to why one team is seemingly on the way down and the other on the way up.

In Richie Barker, the Stags have an experienced striker at the top of his game. The Mansfield captain has netted 19 times this season and has also netted in both of his previous encounters against the Magpies since making the move to Field Mill.

The powerful 30-year-old has attracted interest from higher clubs and has consistently remained one of the division's top marksmen, despite playing in a relatively struggling side.

But Barker will not be the only frontman that the Notts defence will have to watch out for tomorrow.

19-year-old Danny Reet is beginning to find his feet after signing for a fee of £25,000 from Sheffield Wednesday, scoring during last weekend's 2-0 win over Torquay, while Simon Brown has netted 11 times despite playing most of the season with a hernia problem.

It is all a far cry from the Magpies' shot-shy attack. Since the departure of nine-goal top scorer Glynn Hurst in January, fans have been waiting for one of the club's marksmen to fill the void.

But, despite the trial of numerous striking partnerships, Steve Scoffham - with just one effort - is the only striker to score from open play since Hurst's exit.

Thordarson has again been unsuccesful in his attempts to bring-in a recognised frontman to the club this week, leaving his options in attack again looking limited.

Dadi: Off-form

Former Stag Andy White and Matty Williams remain out on-loan, so the front pairing will be selected from Eugene Dadi, Daniel Chillingworth, Scoffham and teenage Jake Sheridan.

Chillingworth has failed to impress in his three first-team starts since signing on-loan from Rushden & Diamonds, while Dadi was dropped for last week's defeat at Lincoln as a result of his poor form since an outstanding debut against Shrewsbury Town.

The on-loan Nottm Forest striker has scored two penalties but has yet to score from open play in his eight appearences since making the move over the Trent.

Notts fans will be desperate that at least one of the frontmen will come good in order to stop the season spiralling out of control.

A sixth straight defeat would be disastrous in any circumstances, but with it meaning that the Stags would leapfrog in the table it would be catastrophic.

Long-suffering fans are already growing impatient and would be unlikely to give Thordarson and his team any sympathy if they are treated to another lacklustre display in what has become such an important game since County's relegation to the lower reaches of the footballing spectrum.

Notts have been handed a boost with the return of experienced pair Lee Crooks (illness) and Julien Baudet (suspension). Both are set to start as Thordarson again shuffles his pack in a bid to re-discover the winning formula.

Rob Ulllathorne was recalled for last weekend's defeat at Lincoln and may keep his place, while Nathan Doyle could make his home debut. Goalkeeper Kevin Pilkington will be keen to impress against the club where he spent five years of his career.

Notts (from): Pilkington, Doyle, O'Callaghan, Baudet, Wilson, Ullathorne, Pipe, McMahon, Crooks, Edwards, McMahon, Sissoko, Palmer, Needham, Chillingworth, Dadi, Scoffham, Marshall, Friars, Martin, Long, Sheridan.