Chesterfield sell nearly 1,700 tickets for Trophy test at Mansfield Town
‘We will turn up, enjoy it, put the crash helmets on and hope we get another win’
Chesterfield will be backed by nearly 1,700 supporters when they make the short hop to play local rivals Mansfield Town in the Jersey Mike’s Trophy tonight.
A total of 1,698 tickets had been sold for the away section at the last count, a great turn-out for a competition which struggles to attract spectators in the early stages.
Paul Cook’s side, who have already qualified for the first knockout phase, need a victory in order to win their Group and guarantee a home draw.
The management team have fielded a drastically different side in the competition this season and that policy looks set to continue.
It is expected that experienced centre-half Kyle McFadzean will play and there will be involvement for the likes of young on-loan midfielder Rafiq Lamptey, Junior Eccleston and others who haven’t had much game time. The goalkeeping position might also be rotated.
“We have already qualified for the next stage so it is a great one for the supporters,” said assistant manager Danny Webb.
“We will turn up, enjoy it, put the crash helmets on and hope we get another win.”
Webb reported no fresh injury concerns from Saturday’s 4-3 FA Cup win over Yeovil Town which has lined up another home tie, against fellow League Two side Cheltenham Town, in the second round on Saturday, December 5.
The Spireites have scored ten goals and conceded eight in their last three matches and their last clean sheet was in September.
A shut-out tonight would come in handy at a ground where Chesterfield haven’t lost since 1994.
“A lot of it is a mindset. Sometimes there is a little bit of naivety to our play,” added Webb. “It’s certainly not for lack of effort or courage.
“It just takes a couple of games where you put teams to put bed and don’t concede and then it starts a roll.
“Obviously against Yeovil we wanted to go and win 4-0 and have a stroll in the park. It wasn’t to be but we won.
“We want to go to Mansfield and have a clean sheet and a win but it might not be that way.
“Would it be nice to get mucky win? Yes it would. You need at least five or six of them over a season to get promotion. Every win we have had this season has been clear and obvious and really well done.
“But that was what was pleasing on Saturday. At 3-3, even though Yeovil are a league below us, the momentum was with them kicking towards their supporters but we carried on with our good play and scored a great winner.”
Nigel Clough’s Mansfield can’t progress in the Trophy. They are 11th in League One and go into the match on the back of a 3-0 FA Cup win over Macclesfield at the weekend.
Kick-off tonight is at the earlier time of 7pm.