Leaders Mansfield Town not taking struggling Colchester United for granted in live TV game on Saturday

The game is live on Sky Sport at 12.30pm and Stags go into it four points clear at the top and buzzing from last weekend's 5-1 away thrashing of Bradford City with opponents Colchester only out the bottom two on goal difference and without a win in seven games.

Mansfield have eight games left to clinch promotion, five at home, but Clough said: “We need to stay totally focused on us.

“The players are intelligent enough to do that and pay no regard to the league table whatsoever.

“We realise we are in a reasonable position, but there is still nothing taken for granted at all in any shape or form.

“There are still 24 points to play for and anything can happen. But we're happy to get over that 70 point mark again with eight games to go and we go into them in reasonably good form and reasonably confident.

“We know if we perform then teams will find it difficult against us.

“However, if we dip slightly as we have done in a couple of games, then any team can beat us at any time – including Colchester.

“This league is so strong and equal in so many ways that the teams in the bottom six are as likely to beat you as the teams in the top six.

“If you have Forest Green and Sutton United in the bottom two you are in a pretty strong league as they are two good teams.

“We have seen Colchester a couple of times recently and they've been very unlucky not to come away with the three points.

“They have drawn a few games they should have won and with a couple more wins they would be nearly clear of trouble by now.

“They will be a threat. They are a big side who put the ball into the box and we will have to deal with it.

“Danny (Cowley) is a very experienced manager and he will give them the best possible chance of staying up. His teams are never easy to play against.”

Clough continued: “It's great we have five of the last eight games at home.

“It's a good advantage and if we can win the majority of those home games it nearly gets you over the line, which is an incentive in itself.

“I think Colchester may sit back and look for a set play or a goal on the break. I don't see them coming out and being too expansive.

“But you never know what their approach will be, so we will just concentrate on ourselves and how we are going to play.

“Following the last 38 games we know we can cause teams problems if we do it well.

“Colchester still have games in hand and we know after drawing at home to Sutton, who were bottom of the league, how tough these opponents can be.”

Stags were in dazzling form at Bradford and Clough said: “We were going into last Saturday on the back of two defeats out of three, so we were a little bit worried as, at this time of season, you don't want an extended losing run by any means.

“So it was good to get back on it in terms of scoreline and performance.

“The all-round performance was probably as good as we've played for some time.

“We go for wins in games, which is probably why we're up there, so we're not going to change our approach at this stage. We still know it's in our hands.

“We are picking up a few injuries now, I think we had seven out on Saturday, three or four long term. But it's important to keep the squad as fit as we can for the run-in.

“With six games in 20-odd days it will be tested and the squad will be stretched.”

Stags are hoping for third time lucky after just missing out on promotion in the last two seasons.

“The Port Vale one a couple of seasons ago was very difficult,” said Clough.

“To lose at Wembley in the manner we did. It takes everyone a long time to get over.

“You don't turn up for pre-season four or five weeks later and everyone is fine. It takes a bit of time to recover.

“It was similar to a relegation. There is always a hangover when you lose a play-off.

“However, to get so close last season with the injuries that we had was not a bad achievement really.

“It wasn't a bad season and we knew where we had to improve.

“The players had a good break in the summer and we said from the first day you come back, be ready as we are going for it. They have all taken that on board.”

Stags also have one eye on the title, second-placed Stockport dropping two points when Crawley scored late to hold them to a 1-1 draw last night and now four points adrift with one game in hand on Mansfield.

“We don't look at other teams, though it is a bonus when they do slip up a little bit,” said Clough.

“But we must focus on Saturday, beat Colchester and see what happens.

“Even the most ardent Mansfield fans realise we're not there yet. We still have a bit of work to do.”