Liam Mandeville believes Chesterfield will 'come strong' at 'just the right time' as National League promotion race hots up

Liam Mandeville believes Chesterfield will come ‘strong’ at ‘just the right time’ as the season draws to an end.
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The Spireites’ title challenge is all but over after falling 10 points behind leaders Stockport County but they still have a chance of promotion through the play-offs.

Town have won just three of 10 since Paul Cook came in but Mandeville insists they will not be throwing in the towel.

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“There is not even a thought in the changing room about us slipping away,” he told the DT.

Liam Mandeville wants to add more goals to his game.Liam Mandeville wants to add more goals to his game.
Liam Mandeville wants to add more goals to his game.

"We have had a lot of injuries but in the coming weeks you are going to see a few faces come back so I think we will come strong at the right time.

"They all bring different things to the team so it will be massive to have them back.

"What gives us confidence is how well we have played against the better teams.

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"It is in our hands, we are in a great position, going into the play-offs I would fancy us.

"We will never give up on that (the title) because you never know what could happen.”

Mandeville has been one of Chesterfield’s most consistent performers in recent months but he is fully aware that he needs to score more goals.

The 25-year-old has hit the back of the net just three times this season.

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Interestingly, the midfielder puts his improved performances down to having more ‘freedom’ on the pitch.

"He was a great coach, the last manager, and I think he did help me as a player, but I just feel like I have a bit more freedom, possibly,” he explained.

"He (Paul Cook) sees me as a bit more of a flair player, he wants me to look after the ball, create chances and he wants me to score goals which hopefully I can do.

"I have played 90 minutes in every game so that is a massive thing for me. Under the old regime it was 60 minutes, then it was you are in one game, out the next, I think a player like myself needs a bit of belief behind me so I can get that consistency.

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"It (being in and out of the team) is probably one of the hardest parts about football, just mentally more than anything. Because when you do get your chance you want to do so well and sometimes that can play against you because you are trying too hard, you try things which you would not do usually and you end up giving the ball away."

He added: “I feel like I am playing much better now but I need to add goals.

"Goals is the major one and it is about getting in the box mainly and shooting more often, pulling the trigger.

"I am the sort of player who gets attracted to the ball a bit so I always want to be creating rather than getting on the end of things.”

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Chesterfield have thrown away 22 points from winning positions this season, including several late equalisers, so why is that?

"That is the golden question,” Mandeville said. “I think there have been parts of games where we could have managed it better. We have put the ball at risk when we were in possession.

"When that (conceding late) happens a few times the panic does come in a bit when it gets to the 90th minute.

"It is probably one of those things at the start of the season that has happened, through no fault of your own, and then once it has happened the panic starts to set in and that is what has caused the others maybe.

"We have spoken about it. It is hard to escape it. It is about sticking to our jobs and hopefully it won’t happen again.”