High-fliers both need to get back to winning

The Blues will be relieved to get back on home turf after two disappointing away games including a 1-3 defeat to Accrington Stanley and a 1-1 draw at Wimbledon.

But they will be facing tougher opposition against sixth-placed Oxford who will be smarting after a 1-1 draw on Tuesday against Cheltenham that has dented their own promotion hopes.

Oxford have been stumbling lately and have now gone five games without a win as their automatic promotion hopes continue to fade.

A late Cheltenham goal rescued a point for them despite Oxford’s domination during the first hour of the game.

Cheltenham levelled after Jamie Cureton deflected a shot past Ryan Clarke and despite late pressure they held on.

Chesterfield FC and Oxford will be going into Saturday’s game with a lot at stake and neither is expected to give any quarter in what is expexcted to be a tough clash.

Meanwhile, surgery on Drew Talbot last week has been successful and he is aiming to return to action “within the next three to four weeks”, according to the Blues.

Spireites’ manager Paul Cook has been dispelling talk of nerves or jitters as the Spireites face possible title honours and a Johnstone’s Paint Trophy final against Peterborough on March 30.