Chesterfield return to action on Saturday with a trip to Cheltenham Town as they look to make it two wins from two at the start of the 2025/26 League Two season.
The Spireites kicked off their campaign last weekend with a composed 1-0 victory over Barrow, thanks to Dilan Markanday’s goal on his return to the club.
The winger’s finish on the stroke of half-time secured all three points for Paul Cook’s side and they will head to Gloucestershire with the aim of beating the Robins for the first time in over a decade.
Last match
Last Saturday’s season-opener was a sign of things to come for Blues fans as their team played with fluidity and defensive solidity against a well-assembled Barrow side.
Debutants Zach Hemming and Ryan Stirk both impressed throughout and Chey Dunkley, who captained the team, returned from a long period on the sidelines with a colossal performance, heading almost every single ball away.
Vontae Daley-Campbell also returned from injury and displayed his ability to get up and down, whilst striker Lee Bonis showed his hard-working nature to close opponents down until the final seconds after coming off the bench for his first appearance.
With a third consecutive 1-0 victory against the Bluebirds, Chesterfield got off to the perfect start to the season with a home win and a clean sheet, and, with more players coming through the doors, fans’ optimism will only increase.
Spireites team news
Cook and his team have been busy in the past week with the announcements of two new signings, in the shape of on-loan Wigan Athletic attacking midfielder Ronan Darcy and defender Malik Owolabi-Belewu, who currently plays for Canadian Premier League side Forge FC.
The latter will not join the Blues until January when his contract expires but the pre-contract agreement was confirmed on Thursday.
24-year-old Darcy joins on a season-long loan, bringing previous promotion-winning experience from League Two, having achieved this with Bolton Wanderers in 2021 and Crawley Town in 2024.
The midfielder is set to be involved against Cheltenham and may take the position of Liam Mandeville or Matt Dibley-Dias in the squad.
The duo both featured off the bench against Barrow, despite only returning to training following their respective injuries in the week leading up to the game, but one of them, or striker Paddy Madden, will likely make way for Darcy.
Fellow midfielder John Fleck missed the last match with a cracked rib but has the potential to be included in the squad, with assistant manager Danny Webb saying a decision will be made on Friday.
One man who will not feature is on-loan defender Devan Tanton, who injured his ankle in the friendly against Alfreton Town and is back at parent club Fulham to complete his rehabilitation.
Opposition news
Cheltenham started their season with a 1-0 defeat away at Cambridge United, who were relegated from League One last season.
The Robins, who finished 15th in the table and took four points off the Spireites last season, have had a busy summer with eight signings and 14 departures and have, so far, retained promising youngsters Ethan Archer and Jordan Thomas, despite interest from higher up.
However, manager Michael Flynn has said that the pair are doubts for the game due to injury, whilst young full-back Taine Anderson, who is on loan from Bristol City, has been ruled out.
New signings Robbie Cundy, Ryan Broom, James Wilson, Jake Bickerstaff and Lee Angol all made their debuts against Cambridge, with the latter three coming off the bench.
Flynn is now in his second season in charge at Whaddon Road and has a 40.4% win rate (57 games, 23 wins, 12 draws and 22 defeats).
He has managed exclusively in League Two with Newport County, Walsall, Swindon Town and the Robins.
Previous encounter
The last meeting between the sides saw the Robins score an extra-time winner to take all three points, thanks to Arkell Jude-Boyd.
The match saw Michael Olakigbe make his debut for the Blues, after joining on loan from Brentford the day before, and was dominated by Chesterfield, who had 64.1% possession and 17 shots, compared to the hosts’ 10.
The home game at the SMH Group Stadium in September ended in a 1-1 draw, with goals from Markanday and Jude-Boyd.
The Spireites’ last win against the Robins was an emphatic 4-1 away victory in February 2014, which featured four goals in seven minutes from Dan Gardner, Eoin Doyle, Ollie Banks and Liam Cooper.
Striker Byron Harrison scored Cheltenham’s only goal and went on to join the Blues just less than a year later.
Cheltenham Town 1-0 Chesterfield, 1 February 2025:
Spireites lineup: Thompson, Sheckleford, Williams, Grimes (C), Sparkes (Colclough), Oldaker, Naylor, Olakigbe (Banks), Dobra, Duffy, Madden (Pepple); Bench – Boot, Fleck, Metcalfe, Mandeville
Familiar face
Saturday’s match will see one former Spireite in the opposing dugout with Aaron Downes in his role as Cheltenham’s assistant manager.
The Australian former defender spent eight years with the Blues between 2004 and 2012 after signing from non-league side Frickley Athletic.
He went on to make almost 200 appearances for the club, scoring 12 goals, and won League Two in 2010/11, as well as the team’s Player of the Year award in 2006/07.
He was released in 2012 and moved to Torquay United before ending his career at the Robins.
Match details
Cheltenham Town v Chesterfield
League Two
Saturday 9 August
15:00 KO
EV Charger Points Stadium, Cheltenham
