Match preview: tight League One clash at The Lamex Stadium
Stevenage welcome Mansfield Town to The Lamex Stadium on 24 January 2026 in what promises to be a nervy, tactical encounter. The home side occupy eighth place in the table with 38 points from 25 matches, while Mansfield sit close behind in tenth on 35 points from 24 games — a narrow gap that underlines the competitive nature of this fixture. Ben Atkinson will take charge of the match, and the January winter setting in Stevenage often produces compact affairs; those conditions could play into the home team’s hands.
Stevenage arrive after a 0-0 draw with Bolton on 20 January where Filip Marschall was judged their standout performer, and a recent run that reads inconsistently: draws and losses punctuated by only one win in the latest sequence. Mansfield, by contrast, have shown they can score in bunches — recent results include a convincing 3-0 win over Port Vale and a high-scoring 4-3 victory at Sheffield United — with Oliver Irow earning plaudits for his rating in their last outing. That juxtaposition of Stevenage’s home solidity and Mansfield’s attacking verve sets up an intriguing tactical battle.
Form, statistics and how they shape expectations
Looking deeper at the numbers, Stevenage’s defensive profile at home is notable. They have conceded just six goals at home in the campaign so far and have recorded nine clean sheets overall — a sign they are difficult to break down when settled. Their matches at Broadhall Way also tend not to be high-scoring: the proportion of both-teams-to-score outcomes in Stevenage home games is relatively low. Mansfield bring more attacking intent on paper, averaging a higher shots-per-game figure and showing a greater tendency toward matches finishing over 2.5 goals across the season. Recent head-to-head history between the sides produced a 1-1 draw back in September, and the bookmaker market reflects a tight contest: Stevenage are marginal favourites at about 2.20, with the draw and Mansfield trailing not far behind.
Tactically, expect Stevenage to try and control tempo, limit space between the lines and force set-piece situations where they can be disciplined. Mansfield will likely probe for openings on the break and look to exploit any space left by Stevenage pushing forward. The clean-sheet record for Stevenage and Mansfield’s mixed away form point toward a cautious match with pockets of goal threat rather than an all-out scoring frenzy.
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Betting suggestion After weighing home defensive resilience, Mansfield’s scoring form and the market probabilities, the recommendation here is to back a Stevenage win in the 1X2 market. The home side’s comfort at Broadhall Way and superior draw-adjusted probability give them the edge around the 2.20 quote, offering a value angle if you expect a narrow, controlled victory rather than a goal-fest. As always, stake responsibly and consider match dynamics up to kick-off.
