Preview: Mansfield Town back at One Call Stadium against in-form Lincoln City
Mansfield Town welcome Lincoln City to the One Call Stadium on 21/02/2026 in what shapes up to be a compelling League One clash. The home side sit 15th with 39 points from 30 matches and have been patchy in recent weeks — a mix of draws and narrow defeats has left Nigel (?)’s men searching for consistency. Their recent run includes a damaging 1-0 loss away at Blackpool, sandwiched around a morale-boosting 2-1 win at Burnley and stalemates with Exeter and Wycombe. Mansfield’s home record shows a team capable of grinding out clean sheets — nine so far — but they’ve only scored 22 goals at home this season, leaving the attack a touch blunt against higher-calibre opposition.
Lincoln City arrive in Mansfield in red-hot form. Sitting second in the table with 65 points from 32 matches, Lincoln have not lost in their last ten outings and have strung together a series of convincing wins, most recently a 4-0 demolition of Northampton Town where Jack Moylan earned plaudits as the clear standout. With 57 goals scored across the season and a productive shot profile — 143 shots on target from 384 total — Lincoln are a team that presses the attack relentlessly and arrives with momentum that is hard to ignore.
Tactical storyline and key stats to watch
This matchup pits Lincoln’s prolific attack against a Mansfield defence that has been resilient at home. Mansfield have conceded 14 at home, suggesting discipline in familiar surroundings, but their overall goals for/against (37/33 across 30 games) points to matches that can open up if the away side push early. Lincoln’s capacity to generate chances is reflected in their shots averages and goal haul; they convert often enough to make them favourites on the road. The only head-to-head this season ended 1-1, a reminder that Mansfield can frustrate, but current form leans heavily towards the visitors.
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Betting suggestion
Given Lincoln City’s unbeaten run, superior goalscoring numbers and recent clinical displays, the cleanest play in the 1X2 market is to back Lincoln to win. Odds around 2.12 reflect their status as the most likely winners; this is the recommended single-market bet for this fixture.
