'We will have a right go' - Chesterfield boss James Rowe on National League title race

The Spireites, who have only lost once in 20 in the league, are second in the table but have three games in hand on leaders Halifax.

Manager James Rowe says it is going to be an ‘exciting’ next four months and he wants everyone to have a positive mindset.

“I think it is important to take stock of how far we have come in terms of we are challenging, we are in the mix,” Rowe told the DT.

"You have to broaden the shoulders and take that expectation on and have a right go and have no regrets come May 14.

"We want to be positive moving forward and it is important to keep our focus and the only way to do that is to make sure the small details are done correctly and consistently. If you do that then you will get the big things right.

"At the moment the automatic spot is open to eight or nine teams. I know what points it will take to get there. It has been two points per game for the last five years. That does not change year-to-year. If someone gets more than two points a game average than credit to them, we will pat them on the back and they deserve it if it is not us. At the moment we are averaging above two points which shows going into the second-half of the season we are in a good place but we won’t take our foot off the gas now. It is about putting our foot down and going even stronger if we can.

"We know what it will take to get that automatic spot but we also have to remember that other clubs have game plans too, they are going to throw some punches. It makes for a hell of a second-half of the season and I am just really proud and glad that we can be a part of that and it is going to be a great challenge for us.”

The closeness of the table suggests the title race will go right to the wire and Rowe says they will ‘assume’ that it will.

However, he does not think the current table standings give a true reflection of where teams are.

“I think the league is a little bit false at the moment because there are teams catching up on games,” he explained. “There are teams who have played three or four games more than others. But come February when teams catch up I think it will be an interesting table for sure.”

All of Town’s promotion rivals won in midweek and although Rowe admitted it is ‘hard’ not to have a look, he is only focusing on what he can control.

“For me, I am just consistent in what I am doing in terms of what we need to do to get over the line to get promotion,” he added.