‘It will be a good game’

First-team coach Gary Roberts is aware of the threat that top of the table Barnet will provide ahead of the Friday night clash at the Technique Stadium.

Speaking to the media, he said: “They are a good team; they work really hard as a team. They’ve had a terrific start and they’ve got some good players – [Ephron] Mason-Clark for one.

“I didn’t see much of Barnet last year because we played them before I came into the club. Studying them this time, they’re a really solid team and their tails are up.

“The confidence will be high with them and they will come here and have a right go which you would expect with top of the league.

“Hopefully we can pick the bones out of how to hurt them. It will be a good game.”

The Spireites will leapfrog their opponents with a victory and for the time being sit at the top of the National League table.

Roberts believe it is a good thing for other teams to be aiming at Chesterfield, saying: “You would rather be top than bottom. If you could be top from minute one, it’s brilliant. When I
was at Portsmouth, we were top of the league for 30 minutes and won the league.

“But you’d rather be there to be shot at. It’s a nice carrot to play Friday and have an extra day’s rest before going into Monday in a good position.”

Lucas Covolan will return to the matchday squad following the end of his suspension and Roberts has revealed that they are expecting pretty much a full-strength line-up to choose
from.

Roberts said: “There will be a full training group today – bar Manny, who is still struggling. He is moving better and it is good to see him around the building. But other than that, we should be full strength!”