Mansfield Town

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Kettering v Mansfield

Kettering Town are hoping to avoid relegation when they host promotion hopefuls Mansfield Town at Nene Park.

Defeat on Saturday will effectively sink the Poppies, who are second-from-bottom in the Blue Square Bet Premier standings with 29 points - 12 short of escaping the drop zone, with five games left.

Caretaker-boss Ashley Westwood has a trio of injury concerns in goalkeeper Kelvin Jack (knee), Djoumin Sangare (hamstring) and Nathan Ralph (hamstring).

"I am hopeful those three will make it," Westwood said in the Northampton Chronicle and Echo.

"Laurie could have a chance for tomorrow but I think it would still do him good to leave it for another couple of days.

"These injuries are another big problem for us.

"It's just another challenge that has been thrown at me and the players but we won't use it an excuse."

Captain Sol Davis (knee) and fellow defender Jerel Ifil (hamstring) have been ruled out after sustaining their knocks in a 3-1 home loss to fellow strugglers Stockport County last weekend.

Mansfield, meanwhile, aim to secure third spot, with frontrunners Fleetwood Town and Wrexham well ahead of the chasing pack.

The Stags, recent 1-0 victors over Ebbsfleet United, are four points richer than York City and fifth-placed Southport, although the Minstermen boast a game in hand.

Club boss Paul Cox is wary of complacency creeping into his outfit's final five fixtures.

"These are going to be tough, tough matches against teams fighting for their lives," he said in This is Nottingham.

"No matter how we get it, we have to fight for a positive result and if we take our foot off the pedal, we will be punished.

"If any player takes their foot off the pedal, they will find themselves straight out of the side, that's for certain. There is no time for complacency.

"This is not mind games, the next game is our biggest of the season. Once that is ticked off, the next one is the biggest."

Cox will hand a late fitness test to skipper Adam Murray, who is struggling with an ankle complaint.