Hartlepool United v Chesterfield team news: John Askey names unchanged XI as Sheffield Wednesday loanee makes league debut

Hartlepool return to league duty after a number of weeks to face the National League leaders Chesterfield on home soil.

Pools are looking to bounce back from a desperate defeat to Bromley last month and put a bump in the road of Chesterfield’s title charge – the Spireites currently eight points clear of their nearest rivals as we reach the halfway point in the season.

And Askey has kept faith in the starting XI who came from behind to advance into the fourth round of the FA Trophy a week ago against City of Liverpool which means a home and league debut for Sheffield Wednesday loanee Ciaran Brennan. Brennan starts on the right of three centre-backs as Emmanuel Onariase returns to league action having missed the defeat to Bromley through illness.

Joe Grey continues in the absence of midfielder Tom Crawford who suffered an ankle injury against the Ravens. Grey paired Callum Cooke in an advanced midfield role behind lone striker, and former Chesterfield man, Emmanuel Dieseruvwe in attack.

Despite enjoying a memorable moment from the bench in the FA Trophy, where he scored his first goal for the club, academy defender Louis Stephenson drops out of the squad with Askey’s bench reduced to just five substitutes upon the club’s return to National League action.

There is space for York City loanee Mitch Hancox, however, after the midfielder was ineligible to feature in the FA Trophy as part of the club’s loan agreement with the Minstermen.

And here is how Pools line-up in full:

Hartlepool United XI: Dixon, Brennan, Onariase, Mattock, Hastie, Wallace, Featherstone, Ferguson ©, Cooke, Grey, Dieseruvwe

Subs: Jameson, Johnson, Paterson, Hancox, Umerah