The figures that could determine Saturday's big game...
Rotherham’s tie against Chesterfield this Saturday looks set to be a tasty affair with both teams looking to maintain the necessary promotion momentum. The Spireites, currently sitting in 11th position on 43 points, have a bit of ground to make up if they are to reach the play-off places, so let’s take a look at what they have to offer this weekend.
Head to Head: The Derbyshire club have had considerable success on trips to Rotherham in times gone by; in 36 meetings, Chesterfield have taken away three points on 17 occasions, compared to the Millers 12. The teams have averaged 1.05 and 1.22 goals per game respectively, so at least we can expect neither to be firing blanks!
Record versus Top Half: The Spireites have had a mixed bag when it comes to facing teams in the top half of Npower League 2 this season, so it’s anybody’s guess what they are going to bring to the table this weekend. In 14 matches, four have resulted in victories, six in draws and four in defeats.
Danger Man: Veteran striker Jack Lester (still banging them in at 37) is no stranger to the Millers; since the 1996/97 campaign he has scored seven times against Rotherham. Claude Davis and Johnny Mullins take note!
Keep Your Heads On: This season the Spireites have tended to find the back of the net just before the half-time whistle and minutes before the referee blows up, meaning concentration levels must be at a premium for the Millers.
Comeback Kings: Of the 13 times that Chesterfield have conceded first this season they have only managed to turn the scoreline around to a winning one once. Whether this be a psychological thing or not it bodes well if Rotherham can chirp up first on Saturday.
Recent Form: Fortunately Chesterfield’s away form has left something to be desired of late, a useful omen indeed for the Millers. Of their previous five away games three have been defeats and one has been a draw, so hopefully Rotherham can build on their last home victory against Northampton.
Chasing Shadows: The reverse fixture between the two teams may have ended in a 1 - 1 draw, but the stats certainly tell a different story – Rotherham ended up with 72% of possession after 90 minutes.
Here’s hoping that the Millers can use that possession to guarantee the three points this time round.