Mansfield set to revert to strongest team for Port Vale clash

Posted Thursday, November 15, 2018 by PA

Mansfield will make wholesale changes on their return to League Two action at home to Port Vale.

Stags boss David Flitcroft named a youthful starting line up against Scunthorpe in the Checkatrade Trophy on Tuesday night.

Ryan Sweeney was the only player to keep his place from the side that started against Charlton in the FA Cup so the likes of Matt Preston, Krystian Pearce, Mal Benning, Jacob Mellis and Tyler Walker are expected to be among those recalled.

Otis Khan (Achilles) will be assessed again while Alex MacDonald (knee) remains out and David Murfin’s knee problem looks like keeping him out for the remainder of 2018.

Cristian Montano (knee) and Manny Oyeleke (hamstring) might be in a Vale squad for a league game for the first time since the beginning of October.

Both players made their return from injury as substitutes during the FA Cup loss to Sunderland, with full-back Montano then playing the full 90 minutes in the Checkatrade Trophy this week.

Vale boss Neil Aspin made eight changes for that tie against Walsall and he could make a similar number on Saturday.

The likes of Scott Brown, Nathan Smith, Mitchell Clark, Leon Legg, Tom Conlon and Tom Pope will be among those players recalled to the starting line up.