Dreaming of a spot in the League Two playoffs, Chesterfield are set to host Gillingham at the SMH Group Stadium on Tuesday.
The Spireites will be looking to get back on track after losing last time out, while the Gills will be aiming to end their five-game winless run in midweek.
Match preview
Paul Cook‘s Chesterfield have an outside chance of making the playoffs this season after an impressive six-game unbeaten streak that featured five wins and just one draw, but that run came to end on Saturday.
Last time out, the Spirites were shockingly thrashed 4-0 by 21st-placed Tranmere Rovers, and the manager will be particularly disappointed that his team’s momentum was broken by a side near the relegation zone.
Dropping three points at Prenton Park has left Cook’s men 10th in the table with 58 points, and they are now seven behind seventh-placed Grimsby Town after the Mariners won their game at the weekend.
With ground to make up on their promotion rivals, Tuesday’s hosts will take confidence from the fact that they have lost only one of their last seven matches at the SMH Group Stadium, and after such a humiliating defeat at the hands of one of the division’s struggling clubs, they will not take their opposition lightly.
Should Chesterfield seize maximum points in midweek, they could overtake Crewe Alexandra and move up to ninth, where they may be just one point behind eighth-placed Colchester United and four behind Grimsby by the end of the matchday.
Meanwhile, Gillingham manager Gareth Ainsworth has overseen three consecutive draws since his appointment last month when the club parted ways with John Coleman, who had only won two of his 14 games since joining the Gills back in January.
Most recently, the visitors earned a point in a 2-2 draw with 11th-placed Salford City, and the new boss will be pleased by the character his team showed to come from behind to level the score through Romeao Hutton‘s first-half strike.
Additionally, Ainsworth’s side will feel capable of causing problems for Chesterfield due to the strength of their performance against the Ammies, who are incidentally level on points with their midweek opponents.
Saturday’s stalemate extended the Gills’ ongoing unbeaten run to six matches, though having drawn five on the bounce leading up to this week’s clash, they are just 18th in League Two, equally 10 points from the top half and relegation zone.
Gillingham have not won any of their nine away games in 2025, but a rare victory against the promotion hopefuls would be enough to lift them above Newport County and into 17th.
Team News
Chesterfield’s forward line have been instrumental in their recent strong form, so expect striker Aribim Pepple to be joined by Ollie Banks and Michael Olakigbe out wide, with Armando Dobra operating just behind the frontman.
Elsewhere, a double pivot of Jenson Metcalfe and Tom Naylor will be providing stability at the base of Cook’s midfield in midweek, sitting just ahead of centre-backs Ashley Palmer and Jamie Grimes.
For his fourth game as Gillingham boss, Ainsworth is likely to stick with Sam Gale, Conor Masterson and Shadrach Ogie in defence, as the back three have helped the side go six unbeaten.
On the flanks, wing-backs Romeao Hutton and Max Clark will provide width, while attacking midfielder Jayden Clarke supports strikers Elliott Nevitt and Oliver Hawkins up top.
Chesterfield possible starting lineup:
Boot; Mandeville, Palmer, Grimes, Gordon; Metcalfe, Naylor; Banks, Dobra, Olakigbe; Pepple
Gillingham possible starting lineup:
Morris; Gale, Masterson, Ogie; Hutton, McKenzie, Little, Clark; Clarke; Hawkins, Nevitt
We say: Chesterfield 2-1 Gillingham
Chesterfield will be keen to prove that their major defeat against Tranmere was a one off, and considering how fragile their promotion hopes are, expect them to put in a strong performance in midweek.
That being said, Gillingham may have dropped 10 points in their last five matches, but their unbeaten run is proof that they are difficult to beat, so expect a close-fought contest on Tuesday.
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