WHEN asked what he wanted from the last two games, Keith Curle’s response was short and straight to the point.

“Two wins,” he said.

Sitting 16th in the League Two table Latics have, essentially, nothing to play for in their remaining fixtures, at Mansfield tomorrow and at home to Forest Green on the final day.

The top seven are beyond them, and they are guaranteed league football next season so the relegation dogfight is not a concern either.

But Curle feels there is still much at stake for his men. There are targets still to meet.

Removing the minus from their goal difference is one of them, and having shrunk it from minus seven to minus three since taking charge last month, and scoring 16 goals in their last five games, that is certainly achievable if they can keep them out at the other end.

A club-wide shift to a more positive mindset is another goal of Curle’s, while proving they are worth a place in his plans – should his tenure as head coach be extended beyond this season – should, he says, also be an incentive for his players to perform, along with professional pride.

“We’ve got over the disappointment of last weekend (against Grimsby) and we’re setting plans in place for Saturday,” said Curle ahead of tomorrow’s trip to the One Call Stadium for the final away game of 2020/21.

“I think it’s vitally important not only for myself but for the players and the football club.

“When you’re trying to create a winning mentality there has got to be a starting point. We want to start now.

“I think it’s important that every time the players get an opportunity to put a shirt on they value that opportunity and put in performances they are proud of.

“On Saturday some of the basics we didn’t do very well.

“Professional standards is something I’ve mentioned a few times.

“I want to raise professional standards at the football club on the pitch and off the pitch.”

And Curle says there will be no let-up from Nigel Clough’s Mansfield either, despite the being in a similar position in the League Two table in 18th.

“It will be a competitive encounter,” he said.

“I don’t think it will be a ‘testimonial’ game.

“I think you’ve got two managers that like winning football matches and like their players to put in performances that they’re happy with so I think it will be a competitive game.

“I think both sets of players have got two managers in place that know what’s needed and know what’s required.

“Every player’s made mistakes. I don’t know a footballer who hasn’t made mistakes. If you look at myself and Nigel Clough we have played a lot of games between us and between us we would have both made a lot of mistakes, but we did a lot of things well and a lot of things right and had good careers.”