Paul Cook’s entertainers stick to their principles for Bristol Rovers away test

Assistant manager Danny Webb says Chesterfield will stick by their attacking principles away to Bristol Rovers tomorrow while being acutely aware they need to tighten up at the back.

The glorious chaos of the last four matches has seen Paul Cook’s side score 15 goals and ship 13 in a run of one defeat and three wins, two of them in the cups.

League Two’s entertainers could be back in the top seven with a win at the Memorial Stadium and need to atone for the 4-1 dip at Newport last month which dropped them to tenth in a tightly bunched leading group.

Explaining the approach to the fixture, Webb said: “Like always, the manager likes to set us up to go and win games and we will certainly do that at Bristol Rovers.

“It is important we leave there with something because the feeling after Newport was real disappointment.

“Unfortunately we have conceded a few too many goals over the course of the season and you are looking for that tide to turn a little bit. It is certainly not through lack of effort or bravery from the players.

“You have to sometimes face up to the fact that we have scored a lot of goals and conceded a lot the last few games.

“Continuous work goes on led by the gaffer and us as staff to get that area sorted out while also appreciating we are playing entertaining football and scoring. If we want to be successful we have to shut that back door a little bit better.”

The next match comes too soon for ex-Bristol Rovers man Ruel Sotiriou, who is on the brink of a return from a calf problem. He has trained this week.

George McEachran is available after taking a knock in Tuesday’s thrilling defeat of Mansfield Town in the Jersey Mike’s Trophy.

“George is fine and will travel with the squad,” reported Webb.

“Ruel was desperate to come down and be involved against his old club. It will be too early for him but he should be available for selection for our next league fixture.

“The team is nearly picked. There are a couple of things we are still discussing but the ones who played the other night have given themselves no harm.

“Will a couple of them come into the frame? We’ll wait and see.”

Early-season pace setters Bristol Rovers are in the bottom half after losing five out of their last six in the league but, like Chesterfield, Steve Evans’ team come in on the back of successes in the FA Cup and EFL Trophy.

Added Webb: “They will be bang up for it because they’re a big club like ourselves at this level.

“Last season we left there with a great victory and James Berry scored a worldie to win it. Hopefully this year we can do the same.”