A huge clash in the title race awaits Chesterfield FC Women on Sunday as Pete Jarvis’ side welcome local rivals Mansfield Town to Debdale for the penultimate league game of the season.
Chesterfield continue to top the table by a single point, with the title in touching distance, but will be wary of the Stags, who held them to a 1-1 draw back in November.
Mansfield come into the game in great form, having won each of their last six games, scoring 29 times and conceding just three goals.
Chesterfield, however, remain the side to beat, and their draw last time out against Loughborough has been a huge boost for them as they still have ambitions of a league and cup double this season.
Head-to-Head
The meeting between the two sides back in November was a closely fought affair, with both teams perhaps feeling that they could have left with all three points.
Mansfield took a deserved first-half lead through towering midfielder Olivia Standeven, before Chesterfield’s Evie Carter saw her penalty strike the post.
It wasn’t until the 75th minute that Chesterfield restored parity when Elin Morin’s cross was converted into her own net by the Mansfield defender.
In true derby-day fashion, the referee brandished a red card late on to the Stags’ goalscorer, Standeven, for a second yellow card.
Chesterfield were unable to make the numerical advantage count as the spoils were shared in Mansfield.
Ones to Watch
Throughout the season, Chesterfield’s goals have come from across the pitch, but as she showed against Loughborough, Amy Nowell has a knack for scoring crucial goals.
Nowell’s threat from set-pieces has landed her seven league goals this campaign, and coupled with Morin’s delivery, could prove key against a physical Mansfield side in what promises to be a cagey contest.
Conversely, Mansfield’s biggest threat comes in the shape of Ainsley Allen, who has netted 10 goals in just 11 starts and will be a worry for the Spireites rearguard.
Pete Jarvis’ Thoughts
Speaking ahead of the fixture, Jarvis said:
“We’ve had a good couple of weeks since the Loughborough game, which has given us a good opportunity to get everyone back to full fitness again.
“It’s going to be a very different game from the Loughborough game, and we’re looking forward to it. We have a really good chance to stretch our lead at the top of the table.
“They’re a very good team. Physically, they’re very dominant, and they have quite a few threats at the top end of the pitch too.
“They’ve got the best defensive record in the league for a reason and they will be very tough to break down and that’s the challenge for us at the weekend.”
