Chesterfield At The EBB
Chesterfield are at the EBB Stadium on Saturday in Coca-Cola League Two action. A comprehensive audio interview with Kevin Dillon is now available on The Shots Online. We look ahead now with the views of the boss and Marvin Morgan.
The match sponsor is Total Heating.
An Aldershot View:
Kevin Dillon is looking for his side to continue where they left off on Saturday afternoon as Chesterfield visit the EBB Stadium. The boss was highly delighted with the emphatic victory at high flying Dagenham and Redbridge on Tuesday evening, a result that extended the unbeaten run to seven matches.
The former Newcastle United midfielder told The Shots, "Even though Chesterfield lost in midweek they were unlucky to do so. A team reflects their manager and John Sheridan was a very good footballer who didn't hold back and that is what I expect from his team on Saturday.
"It will be a difficult game and with two sides in the top seven I hope that we get a good crowd on the day and the weather is good.
"I know what this team is capable of and what was pleasing at Dagenham was the way we responded. The support we had behind the goal was excellent and the way the supporters back the side has been so apparent and encouraging.
"What has been encouraging so far is the way that people have reacted. The players have been excellent in training and in matches. Around the club the staff have been superb. From the Chairman down to the tea lady everybody has been so accommodating."
Marvin Morgan netted his ninth goal of the season at Victoria Road in midweek and with two home matches in succession he is eager to continue versus Sheridan's side. He said: "We have been threatening to do what we did at Dagenham and Redbridge for a while now. Everything is good at the moment.
"There is a positive feel about the club, training is good and I cannot wait for the next game to be honest.
"Confidence breeds through the team. We had a young squad last season and we have developed after the experiences of our first season in the Football League.
"We are sharing the goals around too which shows the capabilities throughout the squad and we just need to keep that going. We don't want to be winning away from home in the manner that we did and then not continue it on Saturday."
As It Is:
Dillon's side enter the match in a fine run of form. Two succesive league victories versus Northampton Town and Tuesday's impressive display at Dagenham and Redbridge has meant that the side have not been beaten since the last day of October and the visit to Shrewsbury Town.
Five clean sheets have been included in that run too. Only Kirk Hudson and Dean Howell are ruled out of this contest although there is better news surrounding Hudson as the boss explains: "The injury is not as serious as originally anticipated. He has damaged his medial ligament but it looks like it is just a strain."
Chesterfield missed out on the opportunity to enter the top three in the division on Wednesday evening when they went down 3-2 to Crewe Alexandra at Saltergate. In doing so they lost their unbeaten home record in what is currently the last scheduled evening match at the stadium.
In a bizarre encounter Alexandra goalkeeper Steve Phillips made two penalty saves in the opening 22 minutes. Although they have been defeated in cup competitions at home this season by Carlisle United (Football League Trophy) and AFC Bournemouth (FA Cup) Sheridan's side had won their previous six home matches. On their travels they were successful in defeating AFC Bournemouth at Dean Court in October.
From The Other Side:
"It's disappointing to have lost the game but I can take a lot of positives from it. We created a lot of opportunities and it could have been 8-5 or something like that.
"Both teams had a threat and we deserved something out of the game. If we had scored the two penalties the outcome of the game would have been totally different. But credit to the players, they kept going and showed a lot of character and we will win more games than we lose if we show the same commitment and attitude.
"It would be nice to keep a clean sheet occasionally and we have to improve on that. So we are all disappointed and it was a frustrating night. We now have to pick ourselves up and we have a tough game at Aldershot on Saturday."
John Sheridan talking to Chesterfield Player
Match Officials:
The Referee is Graham Scott. He was promoted to the National List in the summer of 2008. Graham started refereeing when his playing career came to an end. The highlight of his career was promotion to the National List and the best match he has refereed is the Football Conference Play-Off semi-final between Exeter City and Torquay in May 2008.
In total this season he has controlled 17 matches issuing 47 cautions and three red cards. Last season he was in charge of our Coca-Cola League Two encounter at home to Gillingham. In 2007/08 he was in charge of four Aldershot Town matches, Crawley Town (Conference and FA Cup), Stevenage Borough (Conference) and the away visit to Rushden and Diamonds.
The Assistants are Harry Lennard and Michael Rowley. Oleksandr Saliy is the Fourth Official.
