The top two in the National League go head to head at Edgeley Park on Tuesday night, as County look to extend their record-breaking winning run to go four points clear of Chesterfield in the promotion race.
Saturday’s nervy but crucial late win against Dover made it ten wins in a row in all competitions, with Paddy Madden’s strike keeping us top of the National League table – one point above Chesterfield, who have a game in hand.
With fellow promotion chasers Halifax and Boreham Wood not in action on Tuesday night, three points at a packed out Edgeley Park would see County open up a gap at the summit
Chesterfield, under the interim management of Danny Webb following the departure of popular boss James Rowe last week, kept in touch at the top by coming from behind to beat Dagenham at the weekend, thanks to two penalties from the lethal Kabongo Tshimanga.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding the Spireites over the last few weeks, they come into this game having lost just twice in the league all season – and will know that three points at Edgeley Park will get their title challenge firmly back on track.
Our Opponents:
Chesterfield were backed as one of the pre-season favourites for promotion in the Summer after a brilliant run of form in the second half of last season under Rowe, that saw the club rise from the relegation zone to the play-off places before losing to Notts County in the Quarter-Final.
They’ve lived up to that billing so far this season too, leading the way in the National League at the turn of the year after losing just once in their first 21 league games – a 3-1 loss at Woking in September.
They also enjoyed a memorable run in the FA Cup, reaching the Third Round with wins against Curzon Ashton, Southend United and Salford City to earn a dream tie away at European Champions Chelsea, who comfortably beat them 5-1 at Stamford Bridge.
A surprise defeat by Maidenhead shortly after that cup tie though was followed up by a 0-0 draw at home to lowly Aldershot, a set of results that gave County the chance to leapfrog them at the top two weeks ago – having been nine points behind them just one month previously.
Their form away from home will give them plenty of reasons to be confident ahead of Tuesday – only County themselves have picked up more points on their travels than Chesterfield’s 27 this season.
Too many draws have been what’s hindered the side this season despite being notoriously difficult to beat – no-one in the division has had more stalemates than The Spireites’ eight to date.
That draw with Aldershot at The Technique Stadium proved to be Rowe’s last in charge of the club, with the former Gloucester boss suspended following an investigation into an allegation of misconduct, before parting company with the club by mutual consent last Friday. He leaves the Club having won 32 of his 58 regular National League matches in charge, with his assistant Danny Webb taking the reins on a temporary basis.
Despite the unexpected turmoil off the pitch since Rowe’s departure the Spireites have done well to react on the pitch, with crucial victories secured under Webb away at Eastleigh and at home to Dagenham, to keep them in touch with County at the top going into this mouth-watering clash.
One to watch:
No doubts about this one. The Summer signing of Boreham Wood forward Kabongo Tshimanga has been a gamechanger for Chesterfield this season, with an incredible 23 goals in 25 league games so far this season.
To put that into context, the Club’s second-highest scorer in the National League is Danny Rowe, who is out for the foreseeable future, with five, followed by Saidou Khan with four.
The 24-year-old has a great record against County too, with four goals in four appearances against the Club whilst at Boreham Wood – scoring in both of his previous games at Edgeley Park.
Match Stats:
- This will be the 100th competitive meeting between the two sides, with County winning 48 to Chesterfield’s 32. The Spireites last win at Edgeley Park came in February 2005.
- County are looking to keep a seventh successive clean sheet for the first time since that record-breaking run of nine in a row back in 2006/07.
- After his assist on Saturday against Dover, Will Collar has now been directly involved in 15 goals for County this season (Seven goals, eight assists). Only Paddy Madden has been involved in more (16 – 13 goals, three assists).
