Cheltenham vs Mansfield Town Predictions

• Cheltenham have failed to win any of their last six games in all competitions, failing to score in five
• Mansfield have won their last three matches
• Mansfield have lost only two of their last 13 league games

Stick with the in-form Stags

This FA Cup third-round clash between League Two rivals Cheltenham and Mansfield represents a big opportunity and it may pay to go with the in-form side.

Although Cheltenham are fourth in League Two, the Robins are winless in six games in all competitions and have managed only one goal in that barren spell.

Michael Duff’s men have lost to Bolton and Barrow and been held to draws by Stevenage and Colchester during that period and may be more focused on reaffirming their promotion push rather than complicating matters with a cup run.

This pair played out a goalless draw at Whaddon Road in October, but Mansfield have improved markedly since then under the care of Nigel Clough.

The Stags have lost only two of their last 13 league games and have recorded three straight successes against Scunthorpe (3-2), Port Vale (4-0) and Salford (2-1).

That scoring prowess ought to stand Mansfield in good stead against a Cheltenham side finding goals hard to come by, and we think there is value in siding with the visitors.

Cheltenham are defensively strong, however, so won’t get rolled over like Mansfield’s recent opponents. We predict a low-scoring win for Mansfield, with 1-0 the preferred scoreline – three of the Robins’ last four defeats have been by a single goal.

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