Billy Dearden feels Mansfield will have to pull themselves off the foot of the table the hard way as the Stags face a fixture pile-up.The postponement of Saturday's home game against Bury means Mansfield have played two fewer games than many of their rivals.

And the Stags' involvement in the FA Cup third round at Brighton on January 5 means that will become three early in the new year.

"There is a feeling of frustration at the club because we are down there through not playing games," said Dearden. "But there is nothing you can do about it. We have got out of it earlier in the season and now we are back down there, so we have to do it again.

"The main thing when you are playing lots of games in a short time is to keep the players fresh and fit. It is a very difficult situation when you have three or four players out.

"It doesn't matter psychologically if you are winning those games, but it is harder if you are not."

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