After three losses in their last four games, the Spireites will be eager to claim victory at the SMH Group Stadium to get themselves back on track and stay firmly within sight of the play-off positions.
With Kane Drummond and Bailey Hobson returning to the club in the last week from Oldham Athletic and Barnet respectively, Paul Cook has at least a couple more options going forward amidst the current injury woes.
Tranmere come into the game having only won four games all season, but are well-drilled defensively and are under the experienced figure of Nigel Adkins.
Head-to-head
It has been over a decade since the sides last met and the Spireites have only won two of the last 12 meetings, both coming in the 2011/12 season.
Chesterfield secured a 4-3 victory in the early stages of the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy, thanks to goals from Alex Mendy, a double from Jordan Bowery and a 90th minute winner from Craig Westcarr.
Later that season, Bowery was on the scoresheet again as the Spireites beat Tranmere 1-0 in a League Two fixture.
Paul Cook’s only fixture against Tranmere was the last time the sides met back in December 2012 at Prenton Park.
Cole Stockton and Adam McGurk scored for the Rovers to give them a 2-1 victory in the second round of the FA Cup.
Nigel Adkins
As a manager who has coached at several levels of English football, Nigel Adkins provides lots of knowledge and experience, with his teams renowned for being defensively solid and difficult to break down.
Having joined Tranmere as the club’s technical director, Adkins was named interim manager in September last year following the sacking of Ian Dawes, before taking the position full-time two months later.
He guided Tranmere to 16th place in League Two after a strong festive period took them out of a real relegation battle.
This time around they have won just four and struggled for goals going forward, with the least in the division, but will present a tough task for a wounded Chesterfield squad.
Player-in-focus
Conor Jennings returned to Tranmere in 2023 for a second spell after initially being with the club from 2016-2020, helping them win the National League play-offs to return to the Football League.
Jennings netted 12 goals last season and has bagged a quarter of his side’s league goals already this term, making him a key figure in their attack.
