Chesterfield vs Fleetwood Town preview - Evatt in Spireites frame

Posted Friday, February 27, 2015 by PA

Captain Ian Evatt should return to the Chesterfield squad for the visit of fellow play-off hopefuls Fleetwood.

Evatt has missed the last two matches with concussion but it remains to be seen whether he will slot straight back in at centre-half as, despite the Spireites losing 1-0 to Rochdale last weekend, Sam Hird and inexperienced Wolves loanee Ashley Carter barely put a foot wrong at Spotland.

A lack of goals is Chesterfield's main concern after three blanks in the last four games. Blues boss Paul Cook must decide between keeping a settled side and sticking with the likes of Armand Gnanduillet and Gboly Ariyibi, or re-introduce Byron Harrison or Caolan Lavery to boost his lacklustre attack.

Jay O'Shea and on-loan Birmingham winger Mark Duffy are also options for Cook against the team who Chesterfield defeated 2-1 at the Proact Stadium on the final day of last season to lift the League Two title. Forward Dan Gardner is the Spireites' only injury absentee.

Fleetwood are without full-back Stephen Crainey following his dismissal against Notts County.

The defender will serve a two-game suspension as a result of having been sent off twice this season, with his other red card coming against Peterborough in September.

Boss Graham Alexander must consider what to do with his vacant full-back berth as Danny Andrew (knee) is also missing, so the ex-Preston defender could be forced into a reshuffle possibly involving Nathan Pond, Stewart Murdoch or Stephen Jordan.

Only Jamille Matt, out for the season with a long-term leg injury, misses out otherwise.