Venue: The Proact Stadium
Competition: SkyBet League Two
Date: Saturday, September 2nd, 2017.
Kick-Off: 3pm
The Sky Blues make the short trip north to face SkyBet League Two’s bottom club Chesterfield at the Proact Stadium as both sides look to turn around their current league form.
The Spireites have only picked up three points so far, beating Port Vale convincingly at home a fortnight ago. Since then they have fallen to successive defeats against Grimsby and Notts County leaving them 24th in the standings.
In charge at the Proact is former Coventry City defender Gary Caldwell, who featured 36 times for the Sky Blues on loan from Newcastle in the Championship. In his first 25 games as Chesterfield manager Caldwell has won just three as the side were relegated from SkyBet League One alongside Coventry.
Opponents
Bristol City youngster Diego De Girolamo will be a fresh face for Chesterfield fans and is likely to make his first appearance against the Sky Blues. The Italy U20 international scored a hat-trick against Leicester City in the EFL Trophy in January while at Cheltenham and Caldwell will be hoping that the 21-year-old is the answer to his attacking problems.
Jordan Sinnott has impressed since joining from FC Halifax Town in the summer. Sinnot was vital in the Shaymen’s promotion from the National League North last season attracting attention from across the EFL.
As expected in a Caldwell side their defence is brimmed with experience. Sam Hird, Ian Evatt and Scott Wiseman have made over 1300 football league appearances between them with Coventry City supporter Evatt making up almost half that tally himself.
Memorable Meetings
A stoppage time James Maddison free-kick secured the Sky Blues a point at the Proact in 2015 after Lee Novak’s first half opener.
The teenager curled the set piece over the wall and into the corner from 25-yards to snatch all three points away from the Spirites in a memorable trip to the Proact.
Earlier that same season it was another teenager, Adam Armstrong, who stole the show at the Ricoh Arena in a 1-0 victory. Jacob Murphy drove forward and found Arma on the turn in the area before he fired low across the keeper to give the Sky Blues the victory.
Last Five
Chesterfield 1-0 Coventry City – 14th January 2017 – SkyBet League One.
Coventry City 2-0 Chesterfield – 1st Novermber 2016 – SkyBet League One.
Chesterfield 1-1 Coventry City – 28th December 2015 – SkyBet League One.
Coventry City 1-0 Chesterfield – 19th September 2015 – SkyBet League One.
Chesterfield 2-3 Coventry City – 14th March 2015 – SkyBet League One.