Chesterfield striker Akwasi Asante could return for FA Trophy match next month after long injury lay-off

The striker scored 10 goals in 22 games last season before suffering a ruptured ACL in April.

Spireites fans are eagerly anticipating his return and a possible partnership up front with top scorer Kabongo Tshimanga.

The 29-year-old has been at England’s St George’s Park base this week as part of his recovery and he is set to resume full training next week.

When asked how his time at St George’s had gone, manager James Rowe said at Friday’s pre-match press conference: “Good and not so good.

"He is where he should be after six months after his operation.

"But we have got to be patient, we can’t expect him to be back on the bench or anything like that in the forthcoming month, that won’t be happening.

"We have now got to ease him back into training slowly, slowly up his intensity in the sessions, changing direction, how far he is striking the ball etc and that takes time.

"And then we need to decide where he is at what is best for him. Does he come on the bench and start getting game time for us? We have an FA Trophy game on December 18 that maybe could be a target for him, best-case scenario.”

Rowe added: "We always said mid-December at the earliest to be back into game time. Probably if we are looking at it realistically to be on the safe side it will be January when he comes back into the fold for us.”