Rotherham United v Mansfield Town: Prediction, Tips and Odds

Rotherham United and Mansfield Town meet in a Good Friday League One battle at the New York Stadium which means different things to both sides.

The Millers are condemned to mid-table though new boss Matt Hamshaw will be desperate to win his first full-time game in charge, while the Stags are in need of points after drifting towards the relegation zone.

Rotherham United v Mansfield Town betting tips and predictions

Rotherham United to win - 27/20

There has been a change of mood at the New York Stadium since Hamshaw replaced Steve Evans as manager last month.

United, well-fancied pre-season to make an instant return to the Championship, never got going under Evans, and it was only ever loyalty to the Scot for past successes which saw him escape the sack until March.

A 4-0 home defeat to Crawley Town, about as dispiriting as it got, was Evans' last stand and in stepped Hamshaw for a second caretaker stint since Christmas, having also taken the Derby reins between Paul Warne's demise and John Eustace's appointment in February.

And instantly the grey clouds over the New York evaporated, with Hamshaw stringing together a trio of wins, 2-0 at Northampton Town, 2-1 against Blackpool and, best of all, 1-0 at Bolton Wanderers.

Suddenly the Millers were playing like the promotion challengers they were meant to be and even Saturday's 3-1 loss at an impressive Stockport County couldn't darken the mood.

United owner Tony Stewart was impressed enough to this week offer Hamshaw a contract and the fans finally have something to cheer about.

Six games in charge - two for Derby, four for Rotherham - have yielded three wins, two draws and just that one loss, a decent return given he was temporarily inheriting two out-of-form clubs.

United had several injuries at Edgeley Park, so Hamshaw can only benefit from the week off, with Liam Kelly and Jonson Clarke-Harris recovered from illness and one or two others coming back into the frame.

The upbeat mood at Rotherham is in contrast to the state of Mansfield, a club Hamshaw played for once upon a time.

Nigel Clough's men had been enjoying a great return to the third tier after promotion and, during the first week of the New Year, when they beat Bolton and Stockport, there was even the prospect of a play-off challenge rather than anything sinister.

Since then, however, the wheels have come off in style.

Their last 18 League One assignments, since that famous 2-1 win at Stockport on January 4th, have produced just two wins and 12 losses.

They have lost each of their last three and courtesy of Burton Albion's rapid ascent from the bottom four means they are one of probably six teams who fear ending up in 21st place.

Clough was devastated to lose 3-2 at home to Leyton Orient last time out and insists his side are playing generally okay - but results suggest otherwise.

And despite being roared on by around 2,000 fans, minus top scorers Will Evans and Lee Gregory they are probably heading to Rotherham at a bad time.

Joe Powell over 0.5 shots on target - 6/4

Rotherham have had the grand total of 12 shots in their last two away games, demanding fixtures at high-fliers Bolton and Stockport where they had to soak up plenty of pressure.

Their plan worked at Bolton, not at Stockport, and their main goal threat over the two games was from an unlikely source.

Midfielder Joe Powell is always looking to get forward, always looking to get shots away and managed a couple of shots at Bolton and the same again at Stockport.

The one-time West Ham starlet was quite prolific at Burton, but has managed only one goal in his first season at the New York.

Yet he is averaging 1.3 shots per game - only frontmen Mallik Wilks, Clarke-Harris and Sam Nombe average more - and he looks good value at 6/4 to have over 0.5 shots on target against Town.

Over 5.5 Rotherham Corners - 11/10

Only Birmingham City and Huddersfield Town win more corners in home games than Rotherham, who can clear the 5.5 mark in 2-way betting.

Hamshaw's side won seven corners in the 2-1 win against Blackpool - his only home game in charge thus far - and they are averaging 6.8 at the New York for the campaign.

The 11/10 over 5.5 corners against a struggling Stags outfit looks tempting.

Read more football betting tips and predictions on site.

Rotherham United v Mansfield Town odds

Rotherham United - 27/20
Draw - 27/10
Mansfield Town - 2/1

View the full market and more odds for Rotherham United v Mansfield Town on site.

This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.

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