Looking to extend their unbeaten League One run to five matches, Mansfield Town travel to AFC Wimbledon on Tuesday night for a clash under the lights at Plough Lane.

The hosts have failed to win any of their League One outings since the extended international break and suffered their heaviest defeat of the season on Saturday, losing 5-0 to Sheffield Wednesday, while the Stags head south after rescuing a point against nine-man Oxford United.

Match preview

After narrowly avoiding relegation last season, with AFC Wimbledon finishing just four points clear of the drop zone, the Dons entered the 2026-27 campaign hoping to enjoy a more stable and consistent season away from the bottom of the table.

Still led by Johnnie Jackson, who will take charge of his 240th match for Wimbledon on Tuesday night, the London Borough of Merton-based side have endured a mixed start to the campaign, sitting four points clear of the relegation zone with 12 points from their opening 10 League One fixtures.

The Dons recorded their third victory of the campaign in their sixth match, beating Doncaster Rovers 1-0, but have since endured a four-game winless run that has seen them slip from seventh to 15th in the table.

Their latest defeat will be particularly concerning for Jackson, as Wimbledon were thrashed 5-0 at Hillsborough, with their continued struggles in front of goal highlighting just how much they have been struggling in recent weeks.

The Dons left Sheffield without registering a single shot on target and have now scored just twice in their last five matches across all competitions, underlining their lack of attacking threat.

As for the visitors, Mansfield Town travel to Plough Lane unbeaten in their last four matches, with the opportunity to return to the top half of the table, although they have won just one of those four games.

The Stags rescued a point at One Call Stadium on Saturday after Michael Smith struck an 82nd-minute equaliser, extending their unbeaten home run to eight months, while their opponents were reduced to nine men following two late red cards.

Mansfield's recent fixtures have also brought a significant milestone for the club, with Nigel Clough equalling Ian Greaves's record as the Stags' longest-serving manager.

Tuesday's match against Wimbledon will be his 324th in charge, taking him beyond the previous record.

Although the Stags have impressed in front of their home supporters this season, boasting the second-best home record in League One, their away performances have been poor and must improve significantly if they are to mount a serious promotion challenge.

Mansfield will play their fifth away match of the 2026-27 campaign knowing that their solitary point from the previous four outings is the worst return in the division, with Clough's men scoring just three goals and conceding 10 on their travels.

AFC Wimbledon League One form:

AFC Wimbledon form (all competitions):

Mansfield Town League One form:

Mansfield Town form (all competitions):

Team News

Jackson's side emerged from their defeat at Hillsborough without any fresh injury concerns, but the manager could make changes after witnessing his team suffer their heaviest loss of the season.

The former defender is expected to stick with a back five, with captain Ryan Johnson anchoring the defensive unit, while Jayden Stockley should continue to lead the line as he looks to add to his four league goals this season.

The Dons will remain without attacker Mathew Stevens, who is yet to feature this season due to injury, while Dujuan Richards and Dan Sweeney have also missed the last three matches.

Mansfield, meanwhile, also emerged from their latest fixture without any additional injury concerns and could name an unchanged side, although Clough may consider alterations following their inconsistent run of results away from home.

Clough will be without Grenada international Lucas Akins and defender Billy Cargill for Tuesday's clash, with both players continuing their recovery from hamstring injuries.

Irish striker David McGoldrick has missed Mansfield's last three matches and remains a doubt for the trip to Plough Lane, meaning Smith is expected to continue alongside Rhys Oates in attack following his late equaliser at the weekend.

AFC Wimbledon possible starting lineup:

Bursik; Sessengon, Yiadom, Johnson, Seddon, Sasu; Maycock, Smith, Harrison, Hippolyte; Stockley

Mansfield Town possible starting lineup:

L. Roberts; Hewitt, Oshilaja, Sweeney; Reed; Moriah-Welsh, Russell, Abbott, Thompson; Smith, Oates

We say: AFC Wimbledon 1-1 Mansfield Town

Neither side has enjoyed particularly convincing results in recent weeks, and we expect their respective struggles to continue when they meet at Plough Lane on Tuesday night.

Mansfield have found victories difficult to come by on the road, but we expect the Stags to remain unbeaten and return to Nottinghamshire with a point following a closely fought draw.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.