Chesterfield weigh up options over troublesome right-back position

Chesterfield are weighing up their options with regards to the troublesome right-back position.

Ryheem Sheckleford will miss for the rest of the season with a calf problem, with Paul Cook putting a12-week timescale on his return. And there were fears that Janoi Donacien would not play again in this campaign either due to a hamstring issue he suffered against Harrogate Town on Saturday. He was set to have a scan on Monday.

Liam Mandeville filled in admirably at right-back against Harrogate, a role he has done a number of times this season, but it is not his natural position.

Devan Tanton was sent back to Fulham in January because of his injury problems, while Vontae Daley-Campbell had an operation on his hamstring earlier in the season but has since played in the reserves.

Including youngster Liam Jessop, Chesterfield have had to use six different players at right-back in what has been a nightmare season for injuries overall.

The Blues will now have to weigh up what they do with regards to the right-back role for the remaining nine games. Options include continuing with Mandeville, registering Daley-Campbell, if he is fit, or recalling Jessop, who made his senior debut for Gibraltar on Saturday, from his loan spell at Worksop Town.

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The EFL allow clubs to register players outside of a transfer window in ‘truly exceptional circumstances’ so registering Daley-Campbell might be possible if the league accept that Sheckleford and Donacien are out for the season, which would free up some space in the 22-man squad, with Tyrone Williams having also been deregistered. Daley-Campbell has not played a first-team match since the end of October and was left off the squad list submitted to the league in February.

There is some positive news with regards to injuries, with Will Grigg having made his return at the weekend after three months out, while Kyle McFadzean was due to start training properly this week with a view to being involved against Barrow this Saturday. And Harvey Araujo is only a few days off from doing the same, although Saturday will probably come too soon for him.

Next opponents Barrow are 17th in the table, seven points and six places below the Spireites.

Notts County, David McGoldrick development will have L2 rivals looking over their shoulders

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Notts County have been handed a boost over the last week or so with the return of David McGoldrick, despite suffering a setback against Chesterfield at the weekend.

The Magpies fell to a 2-1 defeat late-on to Paul Cook’s side at Meadow Lane, but showed plenty of promise with McGoldrick back in the side, especially in the first half.

The veteran frontman had been sidelined for over a month through injury, but returned with a bang in the midweek win over Grimsby, coming off the bench to seal all three points with a typically classy finish.

Across those two games, Notts have instantly looked a more threatening, creative outfit once again.

With McGoldrick having played from start to finish in the Chesterfield defeat, he is seemingly back to full fitness, which will surely have the Magpies’ promotion rivals looking over their shoulders to some extent.

McGoldrick’s return has re-vitalised Notts’ creativity

Over the last month or so, Notts have really struggled to find form. Since their defeat at Port Vale on 13th February (their first loss since New Year’s Day), the Magpies have picked up just two wins from eight games, a run of form which has seen them surrender their grip on an automatic promotion place.