Hartlepool United v Chesterfield: Pools welcome league leaders in toughest test yet

John Askey and his side have been without a league fixture for three weeks since their 4-1 defeat at home to Bromley owing to their fixture with AFC Fylde being postponed and last weekend’s cup exertions against City of Liverpool.

But Pools now get back to the bread and butter of their league campaign and face, arguably, their toughest test yet when they welcome high-flying Chesterfield to the Vic. Paul Cook’s side have established themselves as the runaway leaders now in the National League as they hold an eight point advantage over second placed Bromley with two games in hand.

The Spireites were hotly tipped favourites at the beginning of the season and they have gone on to win 17 of their 21 league games so far this season. Askey and his players could not ask for a bigger challenge as they search for a winning formula on home soil having won just one of their last seven there.

As well as their home form, however, Pools are also in desperate need of closing the gap to the play-off places where they currently sit eight points adrift having also played a game more than seventh placed Altrincham.

But while this does represent a difficult challenge for his players, Askey believes it can also be the perfect fixture to help try and build some much needed momentum over the Christmas period.

"There couldn’t be a better game to try and get things going again at home,” he said.

"Chesterfield are top of the league. If we can get a result then it gets everybody on side. We need to give the supporters something to cheer about. We’ve got some tough fixtures coming up over the Christmas period so if we can come away in a half decent position then it sets us up for January when hopefully you can bring one or two players in and get one or two back.

“It’s a bit of a measuring stick for us,” he added.

"What we’ve got to remember is they’re in the same league. They’re not world beaters. And if we’re at it then we can cause them problems.”