Chesterfield 'under no illusions' about 'fierce competitor' Walsall in play-offs

The two sides clash at a sold-out SMH Group Stadium this Sunday in the play-off semi-final first leg, with the second game taking place the following Friday.

The Sadlers had a tremendous first-half of the season, topping the table, but their form fell off a cliff when their top goalscorer Nathan Lowe was recalled by his parent club Stoke City in January, winning just one of their last 14 and three of their last 21. They also suffered heartbreak on the last day of the season when Bradford City denied them automatic promotion in the final minutes.

But the Spireites did not beat Walsall in the regular season, drawing 2-2 at home and losing 3-1 away, so Cook is not taking them for granted.

He told the DT: “In Walsall we have got a fierce competitor because we have not beaten them in two games this season. I am sure Mat (Sadler) is thinking he has got our number and I am hoping we have got theirs. After the second game at the Bescot we will find out. We are under illusions of how tough it will be. I am also really looking forward to it. I really love our stadium when it is bouncing. I love the build-up to it. The players are looking forward to it.”

The two league outings provided great entertainment with late goals and drama and the upcoming double-header will see League Two’s top two highest scorers (Walsall 75, Chesterfield 73) fight it out for a place in the final at Wembley on May 26.

Cook said: "I am sure the play-off battles will be no different. Walsall will study how they are going to stop us, where they will hurt us. We will study Walsall, like we have done twice, and unfortunately we have not been able to master them so that is something that is on us.”

Walsall were miles clear at the top of the table at the start of the year but, although it will feel like a failure not to have got the job done, they were not fancied by the bookies in the early predictions.

"If I am a Walsall fan and I look back on the season, I think they have had an amazing season,” Cook explained. “That is only my opinion. Nobody spoke about Walsall being in the top seven. People spoke about MK Dons and Carlisle and all these other clubs. Yet Walsall have led the fight for the whole season and have still got a chance of how tough it will be.

"When you have been in Walsall’s position, there is a bit of disappointment – it is natural – it is football, but Walsall can change that disappointment by being promoted at Wembley. And to do that it would probably be the best day of their players’ and staffs’ lives. So that is the way I look at it. We are playing an opponent who we have not beaten twice, who score goals, are well organised, are tactically good, and carry a threat. I think it will be a really good football match.”

Chesterfield will be backed by a sold-out stadium on Sunday, while Walsall have also snapped up all their tickets of just over a thousand. Home advantage will give the Blues an opportunity to take a lead to the Bescot Stadium but Cook does not think it matters who is at home first or second.

He explained: “We have a clear style of play. We like to think we take that to most stadiums. Does it mean we win? Not at all. Our weaknesses away from home are our weaknesses at home. Walsall came here and scored two. Bradford came here and scored three. I don’t think Walsall will come here to get behind the ball, I think they will come here to engage and have a match and I think they have proved in the past that they can beat us and score goals. There won’t be a lot of madness from both teams. Both teams have got quite good discipline records, styles of play are a bit different but try to be equally as effective.”