Mansfield Town fear they will not be able to play Harrogate Town due to Covid-19 outbreak

The Nottinghamshire outfit are due to visit the EnviroVent Stadium on Wednesday for a 7.45pm kick-off, though manager Nigel Clough fears that he may not have enough fit outfield players available for selection.

In-form Mansfield made it 10 wins in 11 matches when they came from 2-0 down in their Boxing Day clash with Hartlepool United to win 3-2, while Town were left without a festive fixture due to Yorkshire rivals Bradford City's own coronavirus issues.

But the Stags only just about managed to scrape a side together, with four players out injured and another four missing due to Covid.

And, while Clough says that the club will "do everything we can to get a team out on Wednesday" he is expecting more positive test results in the next 24 hours.

"It was a bit of a gamble getting the game on today after losing players, but we thought we had enough with the starting XI to get a result and we needed a game after two weeks without one,” the Mansfield boss told the Mansfield & Ashfield Chad.

"We lost three players at lunchtime, and I think if we'd told one or two half truths we'd have got the game off. But we wanted to put a game on for the spectators – it's Boxing Day.

“We only have 14 fit outfielders and none of the injuries will be back in time for Wednesday.

“We will do everything we can to get a team out on Wednesday but, as much as we want to play, if we can't make the required number we will fall victim like an awful lot of teams have today.

“We have a few more now who have symptoms and are coughing and we will test them in the morning and see where we go. With it spreading so fast I think it's inevitable there will be two or three more.”

Increasing numbers of Covid cases decimated the Boxing Day fixture list across English football, with just three of the 12 scheduled matches going ahead in League Two on Sunday.

Thus far, Harrogate have not reported any positive test results and will be raring to go following the postponement of their derby showdown with Bradford.

That game being called off means that Simon Weaver's men will have had an eight-day rest by the time they take to the field against Mansfield - if that clash does indeed go ahead.

Since beating Tranmere Rovers 2-1 in the EFL Trophy on December 21 to record a first victory in four attempts, the Sulphurites have been able to enjoy four days off off before returning to training on Boxing Day.

Town have played Mansfield twice already this season, following up a 3-1 EFL Trophy success at Wetherby Road on August 31 up with a league victory by the same scoreline just four days later.