For a while the League Two automatic promotion places looked certain to feature Mansfield Town. Even going into the last match of the season, they sat in the top three needing only a point at MK Dons to secure League One football.

It could, and should, have been theirs much earlier. A terrible run of three straight defeats at the end of the season killed off their hopes of joining Lincoln and Bury in League One and consigned them to the play-offs.

In the end, just five points separated them and their opponents this evening, Newport County. The Exiles are on fire though, second only to Stevenage in the six match form table. Often, the side sneaking into seventh place are the ones to watch.

Mansfield will have to use all of their squad to get past Michael Flynn's side this evening. Here's the XI we think they might go with.

Mansfield play a 3-5-2, with two wide players tasked with attacking as much as anything. It's led them to conceding just 14 goals at home this season, only Tranmere's record is better.

The key to that is Krystian Pearce, a Rolls Royce of a defender who featured in numerous teams of the year. Injuries mean he's likely to be partnered by Ryan Sweeney and Ben Turner tonight. Matt Preston is the unlucky injured party.

Usually, a side storming into the top four has a settled keeper, but veteran Conrad Logan only came back in March after losing his place to Forest's Jordan Smith.

Nottingham Forest feature heavily here as the two clubs have a link and in midfield, expect to see Jorge Grant start. The 24-year-old's another tricky player with lots of craft and guile, but arguably hasn't produced his Notts County form in yellow and blue.

Mal Benning and Gethin Jones will stalk the flanks, our graphic shows them as wingers but it's often hard to pin them down as they're such livewires. Benning has had a terrific season and he's going to be a real handful.

Neil Bishop and Jacob Mellis will make up the rest of the midfield Mellis is a former Chelsea youth and 37-year-old Bishop is the evergreen midfielder whose achievements this season often get overlooked.

Up front expect 22-goal Tyler Walker to be joined by CJ Hamilton, both of whom have aspirations of Championship football next season.