Stags keep alive play-off dream

THEY'RE obviously an optimistic sort down at Field Mill. Glass half full rather than half empty type of people.

Plastered around the ground are posters advertising what is coming up at Mansfield Town over the next few months, entitled the 'to do list.'

And slap bang in the middle of events to mark in the social diary, almost as if it is taken as read that the club will get there, is the date for the Blue Square Premier play-off final at Wembley.

When Chester were kicked out of the league a week-and-a half-ago, such dreams seemed outlandish, a million miles away.

The six points that the Stags will eventually have deducted as a result was a hammer blow to their hopes of finishing in the top five.

Yet if this latest performance is anything to go by, Mansfield's players have not given up on a grand finale to the season any more than the club's commercial department.

What shone through more than anything, as previously six unbeaten Salisbury City were brushed aside, was the belief; the feeling that the task in front of them is not mission impossible.

From that came an energy, a drive and a confidence that every team needs to carry them to success.

It was symbolised adroitly by the individual displays of Gary Mills and Louis Briscoe, who were outstanding on a day when several in amber were at the top of their game.

Mills has struggled for much of this season after coming to north Notts with a glowing reputation from his time at Stevenage. He has suffered from injuries, he has been stripped of the captaincy and he was even made available for loan. But he has been given a lifeline by boss David Holdsworth after being brought back into the side and is certainly doing his best to take it.

Quietly efficient in the first half, Mills really came to the fore after the restart, not just for his strong tackling and wholehearted running, but for his pinpoint passing as well.

What proved to be the decisive goal was all down to Mills and he was still going strong when the final whistle blew after seven minutes of stoppage time.

Briscoe is another who, by his own admission, has flattered to deceive for large chunks of 2009-2010. At times brilliant and other blundering, the right-winger has been something of an enigma at Mansfield. But if he can bottle up what he produced against Salisbury and repeat that wherever he plays, then he will get no complaints.

Full-back Chris Bush had a torrid time against the former Port Vale man and cut a relieved figure as he was substituted midway through the second half.

But, like Mills, Briscoe was not finished until the job was done and the win secured to stretch Mansfield's unbeaten run to four matches.

Buoyed by their recent good form, Salisbury had what was perhaps their best spell of the game early on. But just as some of the home support was beginning to get restless, the Stags found the breakthrough on the half hour.

Briscoe and Gary Silk did the spadework and as the ball broke kindly for Jon Challinor, he rifled into the net, with the help of a deflection, from just inside the box.

After Duffy had been denied by keeper James Bittner, Mansfield made it two goals in eight minutes from a flowing move which carved open Salisbury. Ryan Williams picked out Briscoe whose pace left his marker trailing in his wake before a perfect cross found Jon Shaw and he could barely miss with a close range header.

Frustratingly for Mansfield, City got back into the game within two minutes.

As the hosts tried to clear a free-kick, the ball was deflected goalwards off a Salisbury player.

Marriott managed to pull off a save, diverting the ball onto the left-hand post, but Reece Connolly tapped home the rebound.

The Whites started the second half as if they meant business and the usually lethal Matt Tubbs header over from a good chance to level things up.

But with Kyle Nix replacing the injured Challinor in the middle of the park, Mansfield's passing looked increasingly assured.

In the 75th minute the hosts re-established their two-goal lead. Mills caught Ben Adlesbury in possession, surged forward and picked out Kyle Perry, who fired past the advancing Bittner.

Still, Salisbury did not wilt and they reduced the deficit to one once more as Adelsbury's shot deflected past a wrong-footed Marriott.

Briscoe was denied a deserved goal by Bittner in the time that remained but still had the last laugh as he teed up Duffy for his 15th strike of the season deep into stoppage time.

Angered at a season ticket being thrown at him as he headed for the dressing room at half-time, manager David Holdsworth refused to speak afterwards. But he must have been delighted with Mansfield's attacking enterprise, if slightly concerned by the sloppy goals given away.

If Mansfield can play with this kind of verve in their remaining league matches then the optimists might yet be right. Sunday May 16 could see Stags heading down the M1 to London, you just never know.