Stallard surgery on hold

Stallard was scheduled to have an operation last week to cure the troublesome groin injury that has plagued him since November, but the 27-year-old made a surprise return to the side on Saturday in the vital 2-0 victory against relegation rivals Cambridge.

"If Mark can play like that for 80 minutes in every match for the rest of the season, then I will ask him to put off the operation until then," Dearden told the Nottingham Evening Post.

"He was due to have it last week, but I asked him if he could play and he decided that he would. We did not put any pressure on him, we just left the choice for him to make himself.

"And I am glad he decided he would play."