Fine margins in promotion race

Fifth and just three points from third place is a fine achievement so far - but will those fine margins just deny the Stags a final place in the top three?
On Saturday they played for 75 minutes against 10 men against Coventry City but conceded a late equaliser to leave them with yet another draw - their 12th of the season, the most in the division alongside Newport.

Match report
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The referee was shocking - Evans
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It wasn't for a lack of trying, pressing and creating chances - but the Stags perhaps lacked enough quality in front of goal, not for the first time this season.

Remember back to an equally important home clash against other promotion rivals - Luton Town - and the Stags were again held to a home draw in a match they dominated.
Too many draws overall say their critics.
But, to be fair, flip the coin and remember the thrilling 3-2 home success over Cheltenham Town when the winner came deep into injury time.
And, again to be fair, look at the number of defeats - just six, the joint lowest in the division with leaders Luton.

It is too early to say whether the Stags will be left ruing so many draws or actually see them as valuable stepping stones towards automatic promotion.
There are only two certain things in this exciting promotion race - firstly the thrills will continue right to the end of the season and, secondly, the next nine matches, including three local derbies, could prove pivotal. 
I like the look of the last three matches of the season - Port Vale and Crawley at the One Call Stadium with a trip to Yeovil sandwiched in between.
So, for me, it is those next nine matches that could well decide the Stags' automatic promotion hopes.

And it is the uncertainties of local derby football that could have such a big influence.
We all know that the form book and previous encounters can be disregarded when you play your local rivals.
So the Stags will need to keep their nerve when promotion rivals Lincoln City and then Notts County are the opposition before a trip to Chesterfield. The fact the Spireites will still probably be fighting for their lives in the Football League will only add to the difficulty for the amber and blue.
They will be three matches with added spice and then some. Hopefully manager Steve Evans will continue to get the best out of his squad and inspire them to raise their game for what is sure to be a hat-trick of tense derbies.
He certainly did in the corresponding fixtures earlier in the campaign with great wins at Lincoln and at home to County before another draw - but one that showed the Stags' fighting spirit - against Chesterfield.

So Mansfield are unbeaten in local derbies in 2017/2018 - continue that form in those three crucial return matches and there is every chance the Stags will be celebrating in May.
In fact, if they repeat their form of the previous 12 matches in their final dozen outings of the season, the amber and blue will surely gain automatic promotion.
For only Acrrington have a better record over the last 12 matches than the Stags, who just need to make sure they get the better of those fine margins as we sit with squeaky bums on the edge of our seats.
It is something Luton have done successfully this season. Look at their point at the One Call Stadium. Look at Saturday's recovery from two goals down and injury-time point-saver.
Look at Accrington, who have gone second on the back of that terrific run.
Those two look to be favourites for automatic promotion - I am backing the Stags to claim the third coveted spot alongside them.