Spireites: Key month for Chesterfield in their pursuit of the League Two play-offs

Manager Paul Cook gets some match insight from coach Mark Crossley by Tina Jenner Rochdale v Chesterfield

The Spireites sit six points off seventh-placed Exeter in the table, who they meet on the last day of the season, after the 1-1 draw with Rochdale.

Jay O’Shea put the visitors ahead at Spotland before Bobby Grant equalised 10 minutes later.

Grant was then sent off for a late tackle on Sam Togwell before further controversy when Chesterfield were denied a penalty in injury-time.

Tommy Lee made a crucial save at the death as Dale broke.

And Spireites boss Paul Cook said concentration was key to his side putting a run together.

He said: “Sometimes the players can get caught up in the game, they must be cold and calculated with what they do.

“We don’t want this record of winning one, then losing one. We’ve said to the lads get a draw and win your games, stay unbeaten, and you’ll get to where you want to be.”

The point was Chesterfield’s first on the road since the win at Port Vale on December 8.

And the Spireites know they’ll need more nights like that if they are to break into the play-offs with big tests against Rotherham and Gillingham on the horizon.

February could prove to be a key month for Cook’s men, with three of their next four games at home. The first of which comes on Saturday against Neal Ardley’s Dons, whose five game unbeaten run was ended by Port Vale last week.

Spireites winger Tendayi Darikwa is in a race to be fit after picking up a knock off in the second half for the second Saturday running.

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