Eastleigh make the long trip to Derbyshire as the Spitfires prepare to face play-off rivals Chesterfield at the Technique Stadium in the 44th matchday of the Vanarama National League on Saturday 15th April with a 3pm kick-off. Preview in association with Unibet.
Chesterfield:
Chesterfield responded to a defeat against York City on Good Friday, by defeating Dagenham & Redbridge 1-0 on Easter Monday.
A 71st-minute Liam Mandeville was enough to separate the two sides and consolidate the Spireites’ place in fourth position. Chesterfield could even secure that place with a victory this weekend should Barnet lose, however, the Spireites will be looking up rather than down and trying to overhaul Woking in third position with just four matches remaining.
The home side sit just one point behind the Cards, who face Notts County in the late kick-off today so will see this fixture as a chance to leapfrog their rivals.
However in order to do that Chesterfield will need to improve on their home form where the Spireites have won just once in their last seven matches at the Technique Stadium.
Mandeville’s goal last time out moved his tally to eight for the season just two behind the club’s top scorer Armando Dobra, who has not featured in the previous three fixtures for Chesterfield.
Eastleigh:
After a disappointing Easter week, the Spitfires have a chance to retake control of their playoff hopes.
Eastleigh remain above the dotted line with just three matches remaining despite picking up just one point from a possible nine over the busy Easter period.
Yet despite the teams around the Spitfires now having a game in hand, the fixture lists for each side mean there is little to separate any of the sides.
Today’s fixture will be the fourth match in just eight days for the Spitfires and manager Lee Bradbury was conscious of managing minutes in the 5-2 defeat to Gateshead on Wednesday.
Kairo Mitchell netted his second in Eastleigh colours in that match, while Charlie Carter reached double figures. Top scorer Danny Whitehall remains on 15 goals for the campaign after being rested against Gateshead before coming off the bench at half-time looking to spark a turnaround.
Fixture History:
The Spitfires will enter the match with confidence despite their recent form having recorded a 2-1 victory over the Spireites in the reverse fixture last October.
A stoppage-time winner from Brennan Camp indicated the slight margins between the two sides, who have faced off nine times previously.
Chesterfield edge the head-to-head having won five of the matches, while Eastleigh have won three and there has only ever been one draw in the history of this fixture.
Last five:
08/10/22: Eastleigh 2-1 Chesterfield
29/01/22: Eastleigh 0-1 Chesterfield
26/10/21: Chesterfield 1-0 Eastleigh
02/04/21: Eastleigh 0-1 Chesterfield
02/03/21: Chesterfield 1-0 Eastleigh
Preview by Sajidur Rahman
