Paul Cook has admitted Chesterfield’s season ‘rides’ on winning at AFC Wimbledon on Good Friday.

The Spireites are ninth and four points off the play-offs with four games remaining and only a victory in the capital will probably keep their campaign alive. But the hosts are also under pressure as they aim to get into the automatic promotion spots so there is a lot at stake for both sides.

“Our season probably rides on the game,” Cook said. “And within that the players will feel that pressure. Is it pressure? I feel it is more responsibility. A responsibility to play well and do your job. For a team who has never really had that pressure of being in it, we go there with the freedom of knowing that we can do some damage and if we win our games the likelihood is we will be in the play-offs.”

Chesterfield’s play-off hopes looked over with seventh-placed Grimsby Town 2-0 up at Harrogate Town last Saturday but two late goals saw the game end in a draw and it meant the gap to the top seven was cut to just four points.

Cook continued: “The Tuesday night game (Gillingham) where we dropped points put us in a position where we thought we probably can’t make the play-offs. Then on Saturday night when you look at the league table maybe we can. The league is full of that. The top end is swaying and going both ways.”

Like most teams, the Easter weekend is a big one for Town as they then host second-placed Bradford City on Monday. And Cook is clear in his mind what they need from their next two outings.

“Six points, Santa’s wish-list, even though it is not Christmas,” he explained. “If we can get six points we will be in an unbelievably amazing position. By Monday at 5pm I think a lot of the country will know the fate of teams.”

AFC Wimbledon are first up and they have the best defensive record in the league. But they have conceded some costly late goals recently, including after the 90th minute, which could prove damaging.

Cook added: “We are going into a game on Friday where we know how difficult it is going to be. Johnnie (Jackson) is doing a fantastic job down there, they are growing and I love watching teams grow. Wimbledon are a side with not many weaknesses, really strong, really organised, really good at what they do and it is going to be a tough game.

“If I am being tough on Wimbledon they have probably dropped a couple points which probably might have seen them home. I feel they are that strong. We really respect them. They are structurally sound.”