MANSFIELD Town hope to have their very own secret weapon in the closing weeks of the season – in the shape of the explosive Jake Speight.

After being sidelined since early February, the 24-year-old is desperate to fire for the Stags in the closing weeks of the Blue Square Premier campaign.

With 11 games to go – a quarter of the season – he is hoping to put a frustrating knee injury behind him and slip under the radar with a glut of goals.

The first target in his sights are tomorrow's visitors to Field Mill, Tamworth, if boss David Holdworth deems him fit enough.

He will be hoping for at least a place in the 16-strong squad for the clash with the Lambs, even though it is touch and go.

"I would say I'm just about there now," he said. "I have done sessions for six days straight, in between resting, to get back.

"I have been travelling in on my own some days to do extra work, but I suppose that shows how much I want to get back.

"I wanted to be available for the manager because I know he might need to call on me in the next few weeks.

"The fact we are coming off a 4-2 win and we won at Tamworth 4-2 the last time we played them gives us confidence.

"We have to be going into the game feeling we can win it. We've won our last game and got a good draw against a very good Luton side before that."

It all seemed to be going so well for Speight either side of Christmas as he grabbed five goals in six games.

But just as he was really getting into his stride, the former Droylsden man had to go under the surgeon's knife.

Speight said: "I did the injury at Forest Green at home in the FA Cup (in November). I could have had it done there and then and been out for six weeks.

"I played on through the pain for a while and I was hoping to get through until the end of the season.

"But it just got too much in the end, the knee was causing me a lot of discomfort every game.

"It was hard to come out of the team when I was doing quite well and getting a few goals.

"I played in the Gateshead match and didn't feel myself at all and before the Stevenage game it went completely. I knew then I had to get it done because I couldn't carry on going from one week to the next, not being able to train.

"But I was straight back in the gym three days after the operation and it's great to be on the way back."

Overall, Speight assesses his first season at Mansfield to date as a successful one.

"I always felt confident that I could prove myself. I just needed the games and needed to prove it to the gaffer," he said.

"I'm really pleased with ten goals from the games I've played.

"In my eyes I should be playing every game when I'm fit, but all players would say the same and it's down to the manager."

Speight has no doubts about what is likely to make or break Mansfield's season as they push for a play-off spot.

He said: "York and Rushden are key games for us – there is no getting away from that.

"They are six-pointers whichever way you look at them because we are in a mini-league with those teams around us and we are looking to take their place in the play-off spots.

"There are other important games as well, but they are going to be crucial."

Speight is out to ensure he's the one to make the difference.