Mansfield Town hoping skipper Nicky Hunt can shake off weekend illness

“Hunty rang in Saturday morning with a little bit of fever,” said Murray.

“He said he felt a little bit run-down, nothing major. But as the game has gone on, with the heat as well, he got a little bit dehydrated. So the best thing to do - and they’d put Kemar Roofe out there which was causing us a problem - was to get him off.

“He was feeling extra dizzy so we took the safe option and luckily we had Lee Collins to go in there and secure it up a little bit.

“He’s one of these characters. He is a tough lad and he wants to go through brick walls. He’s got pride in wearing the shirt and he’s obviously been a big player for us.

“He felt he was well enough to play and I think up until about 70 minutes when he started draining a little bit he didn’t really feel it. So we had to make that change and get him off.”

Murray added: “I think what you don’t realise, and I didn’t realise on Saturday until I’d spoken to a few players I know away from this club, was how hot it was.”

Hunt, like most of the players and staff at the club, have also really had it taken out of them how busy the new season has been with so many midweek games. And they are not the only ones.

“It’s incredible how many managers said on Saturday how glad they are this start is out of the way as it’s been Saturday/Tuesday,” said Murray.

“We have a small squad and I think on Saturday at times it hit us as we didn’t have that dynamics about us that we normally have. At times we looked a bit laboured.”

One or two comments have been made that Stags haven’t had far to travel yet and shouldn’t be complaining about so many games, but Murray countered: “That’s a cheap comment.