Instrumental Chesterfield midfielder ruled out injured - as Spireites prepare for FA Cup tie against Northampton Town

The 30-year-old, who has got three goals and six assists this season, suffered the injury in the draw against York City last week.

Town beat Gateshead 2-1 on Tuesday night to cement their place in third in the table and they closed the gap to leaders Notts County to six points.

“The scan results show it is looking like four to five weeks, they have said, but we are hoping it will be more like three to four,” Spireites coach Danny Webb told the DT.

“It is a massive loss for us but a few weeks is better than a few months.

“It could have been worse but that is what you have a squad for. Tom (Whelan), Jonesy (Mike Jones) and DJ (Darren Oldaker) were excellent tonight (against Gateshead) and you have got Tim (Akinola) waiting in the wings and certain other players can also play there.”

The Blues host Northampton Town, who are third in League Two, in the FA Cup first round this Saturday.

Webb said: “It will be nice to turn up to a game without that anxiety you get before a league game because there is so much riding on it.

“It is a game against a team who are going quite well in the league above, the pressure is on them.

“It is not the sort of game where you are massive underdogs. Their fans will be coming here expecting to win, our fans will be expecting us to win, and that is what is going to make it a really exciting cup tie.”