Everyone is expecting this to be a humdinger. League leaders against, erm, mid-table. Two of the top scoring sides in the country. We like to concede just as many as we score. Chesterfield like to score more than they concede. And a reverse fixture that threw up a 5-5!
So 0-0 it’ll be.
Vital Quotes:
Danny Blanchett:
‘It just doesn’t mean because Chesterfield are top they are the best in the league.
‘We played well at their place and should have won the game after going 4-1 up.
‘To be honest we’re relishing bouncing back after Macclesfield, and Chesterfield would be a good game to get a win from.
‘We played well against Burton, and as we have more home games to play now than away we need to try to win as many as we can to kick on for the play-offs.’
John Sheridan:
“They will be expecting a great game of football but hopefully afterwards they`ll not think it has been, as we want to go there and win the game.
‘I like the way they play, I have a lot of respect for Dario Gradi and the players he`s brought through over the years and how he wants his team to play. It`s great for this division, but if it`s a game like the one we played here, there`ll be about 25,000 there!
‘It`ll be a tough game, they`re a good team but we`ll try and get the points to help us get to where we want to be.”
Crewe Alexandra Team News:
Dario says there will be no wholesale changes to the side that lost to Macclesfield on Tuesday.
Matt Tootle is back training after a week out with a virus but may not be match fit to take his place at right back, it would mean Patrick Ada continuing in his place and Adam Dugdale filling in at centre back.
Byron Moore is the only other concern for Dario with the winger suffering a dead leg. Moore is expected to train today but much will depend on his form as much as his match fitness after a poor 45 minutes against Macclesfield.
Likely team: Taylor, Ada, Artell, Dugdale, Blanchett, Murphy, Westwood, Bell, Moore, Donaldson, Miller
Player to watch: David Artell
Captain Artell will be looked upon for a solid performance and to lead the defensive line against the league’s leading scorers, not least if we go 4-1 up!
Chesterfield Team News:
Chesterfield have defenders Dwayne Mattis and Ian Breckin back fit but with Dean Holden and Gregor Robertson impressing in their place, they may only see the bench.
Former Alex loanee Dean Morgan is likely to return to the line up after missing their win over Northampton on Tuesday, it will force Jack Lester onto the bench.
Likely team: Lee, Holden, Robertson, Griffths, Niven, Whitaker, Allott, Morgan, Talbot, Davies, Smalley
Player to watch: Craig Davies
Former Vale man Davies already has 19 goals this season and has netted four in his last three games.
Match Facts & Stats
After 76 encounters in the last 90 years Chesterfield currently have the upper hand with 37 wins to our 26. There have been 13 draws.
The worrying stat is that we haven’t beaten Chesterfield at Gresty Road since March 1996 when we beat them 3-0, a day when Danny Murphy got a brace after Dele Adebola’s opener. Good days.
Ref Watch:
Referee: G L WARD
Assistants: J Hunt and P C Wright
Fourth Official: D S Bond
Match Prediction:
Crewe 2-1 Chesterfield.
Next Fixtures:
Southend United visit Gresty Road on Tuesday night.