Preview: Wycombe v Chesterfield

Wycombe Wanderers will try to make it two wins in a row on Saturday when they take on a resurgent Chesterfield side at Adams Park.



Chesterfield are currently 11th in the table with 44 points from 31 games played, 24 of those points having been won away from home.

The Spireites are currently 10 points away from a play-off place but still consider themselves contenders with 3 games in hand on 7th placed Gillingham.

Having taken 16 points from their last 8 games, Chesterfield’s current form is only bettered by league leaders Brentford.

After only collecting 28 points in the first half of the season, Chesterfield’s campaign wasn’t looking promising but if they can keep up their current form of 2 points per game they would finish with 74 points and an almost certain play-off spot.

The Spireites have won 3 of their last 4 away games, with their only defeat coming at Shrewsbury Town (2-1).

In other recent games they have beaten Bournemouth (1-0) and drawn with Barnet (1-1) at Saltergate, before going on their travels again and recording an impressive 2-1 win at high-flying Bury on Tuesday, despite being down to ten men for over half the match.

Chesterfield have kept 6 clean sheets in their 31 league games.

They have scored 49 league goals (26 away from home) and have conceded 43 (22 away from home).

14 different players have scored for Chesterfield so far this season and their top marksmen are Jack Lester and Jamie Ward with 16 goals each in all competitions. Ward joined Sheffield United in January but the Spireites have bolstered their attack by signing Martin Gritton from Macclesfield and Drew Talbot on loan from Luton Town. Gritton has so far scored 1 goal in 6 starts and Talbot 1 in 5. Ex-Chairboy Darren Currie has found the net 3 times this season.




Wycombe Wanderers are currently 2nd in the league with 61 points from 33 games played, 33 of those points having been won on their home turf at Adams Park.

The Chairboys are currently 4 points behind league-leaders Brentford but have 1 game in hand.

Having dropped from top to third following some indifferent results since mid-season, Wycombe reclaimed second place on Tuesday evening and have now taken a creditable 8 points from their last 4 games.

A 1-0 win at Dagenham was followed by goalless draws against good opposition in Rotherham and in-form Morecambe. Then on Tuesday evening in terrible weather conditions, Wycombe overcame a nervous start to beat Chester City 2-0.

Tuesday’s clean sheet was their 4th in a row to take their season’s total to 18 in 33 league games.

The Chairboys have scored 39 league goals (24 at home) and have conceded 20 (10 at home).

13 different players have scored for Wycombe in all competitions and the top marksman is Matt Harrold with 12 goals. Next highest scorer is Chris Zebroski who has found the net 6 times. January signing Jon-Paul Pittman already has 2 goals from 4 starts but fellow newcomer Stuart Beavon is yet to open his account. A lot of goalscoring opportunities have fallen to winger Matty Phillips recently and on Tuesday he scored his 3rd goal of the season.



Current League Form


Since Mid-Season (Game – 23)
Wycombe:… Played: 10, Points: 15, Average: 1.5 Pts per game
Chesterfield: Played:.. 8, Points: 16, Average: 2 Pts per game.


Last Five League Games
Wycombe:…. LWDDW – 8 points
Chesterfield: WLWDW – 10 points


Last Five Home Games
Wycombe: WLWDW – 10 points


Last Five Away Games
Chesterfield: DWWLW – 10 points




Earlier this season Wycombe won 1-0 at Saltergate thanks to an early goal from Mike Williamson.

Last Season both sides enjoyed a victory with Chesterfield winning 2-0 at Saltergate and Wycombe 1-0 at Adams Park thanks to a fine goal from Scott McGleish.

Altogether the two sides have met on 22 occasions with 11 wins for Wycombe, 7 for Chesterfield and 4 draws.


Previous Meetings at Adams Park

1993/94: Lg2 Wycombe 0 Chesterfield 1
1995/96: Lg1 Wycombe 1 Chesterfield 0
1996/97: Lg1 Wycombe 1 Chesterfield 0
1997/98: Lg1 Wycombe 1 Chesterfield 1
1998/99: Fac Wycombe 1 Chesterfield 0
1998/99: Lg1 Wycombe 1 Chesterfield 0
1999/00: Lg1 Wycombe 3 Chesterfield 0
2001/02: Lg1 Wycombe 0 Chesterfield 0
2002/03: Lg1 Wycombe 2 Chesterfield 0
2003/04: Lg1 Wycombe 3 Chesterfield 3
2007/08: Lg2 Wycombe 1 Chesterfield 0





Ref Watch

The Referee for this match is Mr. Andy Hall from the West Midlands.

Mr. Hall is in his 12th season as a Football League referee and has been in charge of Wycombe matches many times. The most recent was last season’s 1-0 home win over Brentford and before that, the Chairboys 2-1 win at Fulham during their run to the semi-final of the Carling Cup. It’s not all good news though, as he also refereed Wycombe’s 2-0 defeat at home to MK Dons 2 years ago and their 2-1 defeat at home to Cheltenham in the 2006 play-off semi final. So far this season he has overseen 24 games and has issued 79 yellow cards and 3 reds.




Wycombe Team News

Lewis Hunt will be out for a few more weeks with a broken bone in his foot.


Chesterfield Team News

Gregor Robertson is suspended for this match.

Peter Till (knee) and Jamie Winter (head) are also both doubtful.




If Wycombe can overcome their promotion jitters, beat an in-form Chesterfield and chalk-up their second win in five days, it will boost everyone’s confidence ahead of tricky fixtures at Lincoln and Brentford.


Prediction

Wycombe 1 Chesterfield 0

The Chairboys to edge a tense encounter.




Rivals Watch this Weekend

Brentford (1st) are away to Rotherham (18th).

Rochdale (3rd) are away to Bury (4th).

Bradford (5th) are at home to Aldershot (14th).

Exeter (6th) are away to Luton (24th).

Gillingham (7th) are away to Accrington (19th).