Recap: Kabongo Tshimanga scores late winner as Chesterfield beat National League promotion rivals Grimsby Town

Chesterfield’s match away at Eastleigh on Saturday, January 29 will be shown live on BT sport and will now kick-off at 5.20pm.

With Grimsby having lost six of their last seven this is perhaps not the top of the table clash we all thought it would be a month ago.

But, having said that, a win for the Mariners today would cut the gap to Chesterfield to just one point.

The Spireites are clearly full of confidence right now and are unbeaten in 11 and have only lost one in 20 in all competitions so I really don’t think there is anything to fear today. If they play how we know they can then I think they are more than capable of bringing home the three points.

Grimsby are out of form and missing a couple of key players in top scorer John McAtee and Alex Hunt but they will be backed by a big home crowd so there is that to consider and an early goal for the Mariners could see Town on the back foot and up against it.

It is also worth pointing out that Grimsby have a very strong home record with seven wins and just one defeat from eight games so it is a tough place to go.

But Chesterfield went to Wrexham earlier in the season in front of 10,000 and were the better side so that should stand them in good stead for this one.

I’m going for an away win, 0-2.

I’ve gone for two changes from the win against Salford City last weekend with Tyrone Williams, who was cup-tied, coming back in for Fraser Kerr and Saidou Khan replacing Calvin Miller.

I’ve opted for Liam Mandeville in the right wing-back spot over Miller, who played there against Salford, just because it’s away from home and I think Miller’s pace would be a big threat on the counter as the game opens up in the second-half.

Luke Croll could miss out with a thigh strain but we shall see. If he does then Alex Whittle will probably drop into the left of the back three as he has done in previous weeks.

Manny Oyeleke (calf) is fit to play, James Rowe said at yesterday’s pre-match press conference.

Jack Clarke returned on the bench against Salford so that’s a big boost to have him back.

I’m just going to throw this out there and suggest that Akwasi Asante be a surprise inclusion on the bench. If so, it would be the first time he would be involved since April following his ACL injury. Next week’s FA Trophy game was mentioned by Rowe as a possible return date but I’m just wondering whether he could be tempted to include him here in such a big game?

My predicted line-up: (3-4-2-1) Loach; Williams, Grimes, Croll; Mandeville, Weston, Oyeleke, Whittle; Kellermann, Khan; Tshimanga. Subs: Kerr, Miller, Clarke, Payne, Tyson/Asante.

If I am right then that would mean that Melvin Minter and Jak McCourt would miss out.