Chesterfield manager John Sheridan spoke to his club's official website ahead of his side's scheduled League One match against Carlisle at Brunton Park tomorrow, Sheridan saying the Spireites will be expecting a tough game :
“Carlisle are having a good season and they are a well-established team in this division, Greg Abbott I think is a really under-rated manager, he gets them playing good football and they are always a good outfit on the day. So, we have got to go there and expect a tough game, which we will get, but we have got to go there with the little run we are on ourselves with a bit of confidence and hopefully get the result we are after.
“We beat them here earlier in the season and obviously it was a very good day for us and a very good performance. I thought it was an excellent game and I thought Carlisle played really well on the day as well so for us to get that scoreline was very pleasing. We really played well on that day but I don’t think that will count for much, there are lots of different players in both sides so it will be a different game, and obviously Carlisle have been showing a lot better form than we have since that game. So, we will go into the game knowing we are in a tough game but going into it at the same time knowing what we have to do, which is try to win the game.
“We are on a little run and that is what I want, the players have shown the work-ethic and the attitude to try to get out of the position we are in, and we have won one or two games. Obviously, the cup games as well have given us that little bit of confidence so we have just got to continue that, there is still plenty and lots of hard work to do and that is how it is going to be all the way to the end of the season. We have got to keep showing what we are showing at the moment and hopefully if we do that we will pick up some results.
“I never usually pick out a dangerman, I think a lot of teams don’t really have outstanding individuals, I think a lot of the teams that are doing well in the division are doing it as a team. I never try to pick individuals out, we will go there, they are winning games, they are a good team at home, they are playing with a bit of confidence and they are trying to get themselves into a play-off position, so they are doing something right.
“As a team they work very hard for each other and that is what we have got to try to match, and if we do that I think we can get something from the game. I have got some good options now, it doesn’t really matter who I put in the side, obviously there are one or two who miss the cup games so if they come back and play in the side then I am confident they will do a good job. I will do what I always do which is try to pick a team that is going to win us the game on the day."
“We had Nicky Ajose watched a number of times when he was at Bury where he was a really exciting prospect, he came from Manchester United and he was one of the best strikers in the division last season. He got a good move to Peterborough, they paid a bit of money for him, unfortunately he hasn’t really figured too much at Peterborough, he went to Scunthorpe and really didn’t figure. But, I have told Nicky I have brought him in on what I know he can do, he is a very exciting player and he has got lots of promise.
“So, I have told him to just come in and more or less do what he was doing at Bury where he was playing with lots of confidence, scoring goals and helping Bury to be successful in getting promotion last season. So, I want him to come here, play as a striker, work hard to try to get in the team, just because I brought him in it doesn’t mean he is going to be playing. But, I know what he can give us and he has got pace as well so obviously hopefully he will help us to get one or two results and get out of the position we are in where we need to pick up results quickly.
“Everyone is OK injury-wise, so hopefully I will have a strong squad and then I will pick the right team to get us a result. The dressing-room has always been fine, there is not a problem with the players whatsoever. I have got a really good group of players and I think the results we have got of late will just give them a bit more confidence to know that they can compete with teams in this division. If we keep showing the same attitude we have shown of late then we will have a good chance of getting out of it, but there is plenty of hard work.
“I am not even thinking of Wembley now, I enjoyed the other night, it was great for the players and everyone involved but I am not even thinking of Wembley, it is a long way away. There are loads of big games and important games to think about and they are the games I am going to concentrate on. Our league form has improved over the last seven or eight games after a poor run and we’ve carried that into the cups, so let’s carry that on.”
In team news for the Spireites tomorrow they look like they will be missing just one player from their travelling squad through injury, with French defensive midfielder Jimmy Juan still struggling with a calf problem. Striker Craig Westcarr though is unlikely to be in the starting line-up given that he has just returned to training after missing Chesterfield's last five matches with an ankle injury.
The visitors will have three fully fit players available however since they won 1-0 on the night and therefore 3-1 on aggregate at Oldham in the northern area final of the Johnstone's Paint Trophy on Monday evening, with centre-half Neal Trotman and on-loan Huddersfield striker Liam Ridehalgh having been cup-tied for that second leg match. The final man of the fresh trio being 20-year old former Manchester United winger Nicky Ajose, who Chesterfield signed on loan from Peterborough for the rest of the season on Tuesday afternoon.
The referee for tomorrow afternoon's match is Geoff Eltringham from Sunderland and he will be assisted down the lines by Scott Oldham from Poulton-le-Fylde, near Blackpool and Jeremy Simpson from Carnforth. Meanwhile the fourth official is a third Lancastrian as it is Simeon Lucas from Carnforth.