Jake Buxton who has come in for the injured Jon-Olav Hjelde, has also made an excellent impression, and now that Hjelde is approaching match fitness again, Buxton wants the former Forest man to fight for his place back "At the start of pre-season, everyone had a clean slate but I got injured and so when the manager picked his back four, I wasn't in it," Buxton told the Nottingham Evening Post.
"Now Jon has had the misfortune to get injured as I did and that has opened the door for someone else, which in this case is me.
"Hopefully, I have taken my chance. I feel I have done quite well since coming back into the side but I know there are no guarantees.
"But I want to stay in the side. We are all hungry to do well."
The Stags face a stern test this weekend when local rivals Lincoln come to Field Mill.