Mansfield stand in Dons' way again in the automatic promotion race

David Wheeler scored the only goal of the game last time Dons played Mansfield at Stadium MK

It might not be a ‘winner-takes-all’ this time around, but Mansfield Town’s return to Stadium MK is likely to have a huge say in who goes up from League Two automatically.

When the sides met in 2019, the stakes could not be simpler. The winner goes up. The Stags held the goal-difference edge over Dons going into that final day decider, but David Wheeler’s second minute header proved to be enough to send Paul Tisdale’s side back to the third tier. It sparked wild scenes of celebration for Dons, which turned unsavoury when supporters invaded the pitch.

This Saturday, Mansfield make their first journey back to MK1 since that day, knowing the connotations are more favourable to them this time around.

Nigel Clough’s side looked not only in pole position to get promoted automatically, and to dispel the ghosts of five years past, but to actually go on and win the League Two crown outright just a few weeks ago.

Ironically, defeat to MK Dons at Field Mill in early March would prove to be something of a catalyst in their recent run. From seemingly cruising to promotion, Mansfield had picked up seven points from a possible 21 since the loss to Mike Williamson’s men, but won on Tuesday night against Forest Green Rovers to move back into the top three ahead of Saturday’s game.

More than 5,000 are expected to travel from Nottinghamshire of the game, one of the biggest travelling contingents of the season at Stadium MK, leaving the game poised brilliantly – not quite as ‘do or die’ as the last time, but close.

A win for Mansfield would all but see off Dons’ chances of automatic promotion, dropping five points back of the Stags with two games remaining, while doing the double over Mansfield would certainly keep their chances alive and kicking ahead of a long trip to Harrogate Town a week later.

All Dons can do is win their final three matches, and hope that it is enough now, enough to keep the pressure on those above, hoping for one or two more slip-ups.

A spot in the play-offs is all but secured - goal-difference the only thing at this stage mathematically preventing it being set in stone – though with that carrot of automatic promotion still there, it is once again Mansfield standing in Dons’ way.