Cox recalled forward Jake Speight from Alfreton on Saturday, putting the 28 year old straight into the Stags' starting line up for their loss to Oxford with two forwards injured and loanee James Alabi suspended.
Cox is trying to secure a longer stay for Stoke teenager Alabi, but acknowledged in his Monday press conference this morning that he wanted to give his own players the chance to impress:
“We have brought Jake Speight back, who had scored five in six games for Alfreton, and Ross Dyer has scored three in four on his loan. I have to make sure I give contracted players the best opportunity I can to cement a place in the team before I go looking elsewhere.”
A decision on Dyer's future may not come until later in the week with the Bulls and Mansfield not playing competitively again until Saturday. The Stags have a behind-closed-doors friendly later this week at Huddersfield in which injured forwards Ben Hutchinson and Ollie Palmer may be able to feature and sway Cox's decision.