English Football League / Richard Walker / 10 March 2008 /

Richard Walker tells us why he can't split the two as Paul Ince's troops seek revenge for their loss at home to Chesterfield earlier on in the season

When Chesterfield were busy getting relegated last season, few in north Derbyshire would have expected the Sky Sports cameras to be at Saltergate a year on from then. But here we are on a Monday night with Lee Richardson's Spireites, pushing for promotion, against the high-flying Milton Keynes Dons, led by Paul Ince.

It's the go-ahead Dons, sat just behind Peterborough United in second, who are looking like automatic promotion candidates and, at [2.5] to back, go into the game as the team fancied to take all three points. Hosts Chesterfield are [3.05] to back while the draw can be backed at [3.55].

That dish best served cold, revenge, will be on the menu for MK who slipped up 2-1 at home to the Spireites back in November and, while results like that don't matter hugely, players remember a score that needs settling and don't like to be 'doubled' by any side - particularly when they're going great guns near the summit. Three successive league wins, unbeaten in seven, it's going alright for Incey's boys.

Chesterfield, meanwhile, have found form a little harder to come by. They too have three wins on the bounce coming into the match but have three defeats from the three previous games. That's more typical of sides in the lower two divisions and reflects in their league position; eighth, a place short of the Play-Off berths but just a win away from moving into fifth above Wycombe Wanderers.

Before I write, I do like to settle on one outcome to give some context to my arguments and debate but I'm really struggling with this game. Logic tells me that MK Dons should win and continue to forge clear of the chasing pack but there's something somewhere also telling me that the presence of the TV cameras may just give that lift the home faithful need to drive their beloved Spireites onto victory.

Although both sides have goals in them, I feel the Unders in the Under/Over 2.5 goals market - at [1.84] to back - is reasonably enticing to have among your wagers. And I reckon this might well be a cagey little affair with both sides taking time to suss each other out. So in the Half Time/Full Time market, Draw/Chesterfield, Draw/Draw and Draw/MK Dons - at [7.8], [5.8] and [7.0] - all offer decent options if like me, you fancy the half-time stalemate.

Spireites' hotshot is Jack Lester, a canny forward who's probably dropped one level too low at this stage of his career. I think his figures prove that; from 31 League Two starts he's rattled home an amazing 24 goals. Still only 32 years of age, he'll being going back up this year, I fancy even if Chesterfield don't.

As for the Dons, well it's midfielders Mark Wright and captain Keith Andrews who lead the way, having both edged into double-figures. The club's strength is that they spread the goals around but, perhaps more pertinently, are hard to break down. They have the second most miserly defence with just 27 conceded from 35 matches - some feat at this level.

The Winning Margin market bears consideration on this basis, with 1 Goal available to back at [1.98]. Decent value, I'd argue, the notion that the game will be won by only by the narrowest of margins.

The pointers suggest a tight affair devoid of too much attack-minded football but its' just not as simple as that. Richardson's Chesterfield do ship goals, but they also score them. I believe, however, that the extra quality in defence from Ince's team will prevent this from being a goal fest.

Good luck making your mind up - I'm off to be indecisive about something else now...I think.

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