Wilson staying with Stags

Mansfield Town have extended the loan of Everton youngster Laurence Wilson.

The 19-year-old has been with Peter Shirtliff's side for the past month and impressed with his displays at Field Mill.

The left-sided player will now spend the rest of the season with The Stags, with the teenager delighting at the chance of more regular first-team football.

"I am made up," Wilson told the Mansfield Chad. "They asked me if I wanted to stay to the end of the season and help the team stay in this league.

"Hopefully, we can finish in the top half of the table. Playing here is going to make me a better player.

"It is a much tougher game at this level. I have realised I need to be a bit more physical down here, though we do play some good football as well.

"Playing in this league is making me a lot sharper and tougher.

"Apparently, Everton have had some good reports on me, so that can only be good for me."

One player to have been lost to the Nottinghamshire outfit is striker Chris Beardsley after doctors told the 22-year-old that he needs more time to recover from a broken leg.

Beardsley, who returned to Field Mill from Nationwide Conference club Kidderminster Harriers back in the summer, has been sidelined with the broken leg since August.

There were hopes the former Doncaster Rovers hit-man would return before the season's end, but that has now been ruled out.

Meanwhile, Polish striker Arek Zarcznski has failed to impress Shirtliff enough to earn a contract during his trial at the club.