Both aiming to end three-match losing runs, Chesterfield and Gillingham will square off at the SMH Group Stadium on Sunday.
The hosts have dropped to 10th spot in the League Two table and trail the playoff places by three points, while their visitors sit 14th and four points worse off than their hosts in the midst of their own rut.
Match preview
© Imago
Chesterfield head back to the SMH Group Stadium on Sunday aiming to bounce back to winning ways and narrow their gap to the League Two playoff places, having suffered a dip in form in recent weeks after an impressive first half to their first season back in England's fourth tier.
After recording four straight victories in December, culminating in a 1-0 triumph over second-placed AFC Wimbledon, the Spireites sat fifth at Christmas with 34 points on the board from 21 outings, having notched up 36 goals in those games and managed nine victories while only suffering five defeats.
They failed to extend that hot streak any further on Boxing Day, though, visiting Fleetwood Town and suffering a 2-0 defeat before a trip to Bradford City ended in a 2-1 loss to round off 2024.
Paul Cook's men most recently hosted fellow playoff-chasers MK Dons on New Year's Day and fell to a third straight league defeat for the first time this campaign, with Darren Oldaker's 76th-minute goal not enough to spark a turnaround after Callum Hendry and Joe White had the visitors 2-0 up in the first half.
Having now dropped to 10th spot as a result of their rut, albeit only trailing seventh place by three points, Chesterfield will be desperate to get back to winning ways to move back within touching distance of the playoffs heading into the second half of the season.
© Imago
Their visitors also head into the weekend aiming to stop a rot in League Two, having dropped into the bottom half after Christmas.
Aiming to challenge for promotion to League One under the management of Mark Bonner, Gillingham have endured a disappointing first half to their third consecutive fourth-tier campaign, currently sitting 14th on 30 points from their opening 23 games.
Indeed, just two of the Gills' nine league victories thus far have come from their last eight outings, while suffering five defeats in the same time, having beaten Salford City and MK Dons consecutively and drawn with Cheltenham Town before Christmas.
Bonner's men have failed to kick on and build a playoff charge since, instead sliding down the division following three straight defeats, as they firstly ended last year by losing to Colchester United and AFC Wimbledon before hosting Bromley on Thursday and succumbing to a 3-0 beating as Louis Dennis, Jude Arthurs and Kamarl Grant all found the net at Priestfield.
Now sitting in the bottom half and trailing the top seven by seven points, Gillingham will be keen to bounce back to winning ways and begin turning their season around with a statement win in Derbyshire.
Team News
© Imago
Chesterfield continue to contend with several injury issues, as experienced attackers Will Grigg and Paddy Madden will likely remain sidelined alongside defender Chey Dunkley.
In the absence of Grigg and Madden, Kane Drummond should again lead the line with plenty of support from the likes of Dilan Markanday, Armando Dobra and James Berry, who have produced a combined tally of 26 goals so far this season.
Behind them, Darren Oldaker will continue to play a key role in the midfield, while Tom Naylor and Jamie Grimes will again partner up at the heart of a back four.
Mark Bonner may opt to make several changes to the Gillingham starting XI which lost 3-0 on Thursday, although he may be unable to call on Bradley Dack, who missed that game due to an injury.
Attacker Elliott Nevitt will hope to regain his starting spot up front from Josh Andrews, while Jayden Clarke, who leads the squad with seven goals this season, should return from the outset on the wing.
He will likely join Jonny Williams and Jack Nolan in support of a lone front man, while Armani Little and Euan Williams will compete to start in midfield in place of Timothee Dieng and Ethan Coleman.
Chesterfield possible starting lineup:
Thompson; Sheckleford, Grimes, Naylor, Horton; Oldaker; Markanday, Mandeville, Dobra, Berry; Drummond
Gillingham possible starting lineup:
Morris; McKenzie, Ehmer, Ogie, Clark; Dieng, Little; Clarke, Williams, Nolan; Nevitt
We say: Chesterfield 2-1 Gillingham
While both sides are in the midst of tough runs, it seems to be Gillingham whose issues are deeper, and we back the hosts to bounce back to winning ways at the SMH Group Stadium as a result thanks to the abundance of quality they possess all over the pitch.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Sam Varley
![Millwall manager Neil Harris pictured in April 2024 [IMAGO]](https://sm.imgix.net/11/29/1x1.gif?w=1&h=1 "Millwall manager Neil Harris pictured in April 2024 [IMAGO]")
