Davis Keillor-Dunn's mum sets Mansfield Town goal hero a tough target

Keillor-Dunn has been the star man this season, though Will Swan and Lucas Akins are also now in double figures as Stags chase promotion.

The former Oldham Athletic man said he always sets moveable targets and is enjoying the freedom of his role at the tip of a diamond formation.

“I always try to get double figures, goals and assists, and chip in. But it's been going really well,” he said.

“I always think it would be nice to get to 'that'. Then I get to 'that' and I'm not happy. You set yourself little milestones.

“The key to it is not being comfortable with what you get – you always want to get more.

“But at the start of the season my mum said she wanted me to get 30 goals this season!

“She comes to every home game and most of the away games.

“My dad's there too and my brother and my missus, so my support has been brilliant. And the support from the fans has been unbelievable. It gives you that extra bit you need.

“But I am just trying to get as many as I can and influence games as much as I can.

“The lads need me out there and, likewise, I need them too.”

He added: “Hopefully there's a few more to come before the end of the season.

“I want to score and assist in every game and, if I don't, I get frustrated with myself.

“I have no set number on how many I want to score, but every game I want to produce.

“I am playing with good players as well and the gaffer has given me freedom to go out there and perform.

“So I can only thank the people I am working with for helping me and putting me in these positions.”

Stags had five different scorers at Bradford on Saturday and Keillor-Dunn said: “The biggest thing is everyone has got to chip in with goals, and we are really good at that.

“I know a few of the midfielders have got goals as well.

“You've got boys from all over the pitch popping up with a goal.

“Baily Cargill has scored a few - and we're still waiting for Aden Flint to score us a few headers.

“Swanny coming into form at this stage of the season is like signing a new player. He has been excellent.

“We have to keep going now, everyone together.”

Keillor-Dunn netted twice in the opening game at Crewe and said Stags' fine pre-season form was a big factor in their great season to date.

“The season is going really well and I am really enjoying it,” he said.

“We had a really good pre-season and worked on everything we wanted to do as soon as the season started. The manager just told us to take that into the season.

“I felt comfortable in that position in the first game – it was second nature.

“Luckily for me I got off to a good start with a brace at Crewe which put me in good stead for the full season ahead.”

Despite the player's goal heroics, boss Nigel Clough recently urged Keillor-Dunn to produce more away from home.

“The gaffer wasn't shy in telling me that and you have to take it on board and try to show a reaction,” he said.

“You have to get on with it and not get your head down.

“He demands high standards – that's the way it is and I am happy to keep improving and adding to my game.”

Mansfield have eight games left to clinch promotion and Keillor-Dunn said: “We have put ourselves in a good position, but we can only think about the next game and we can only control the controllables.

“We can't get ahead of ourselves with eight games to go and loads of points to play for.

“We need to turn up and be 100 per cent for every game. That's the main thing. Make sure you're at it for the last eight and finish the season strongly.

“It's good going into games feeling confident, knowing when the lads are at it and we start games really fast and get goals early, it is comfortable.

“There are eight huge games to go and we just have to keep doing the same things we've been doing and implement the same things.

“If we collectively want to achieve our aims this season we can't let up. We can't have days off.

“We've bounced back from our losses really well this season. I don't think we've lost two on the bounce this season which shows we are a good side.”