- Form: Notts County have only won 2 of their last 5 competitive matches.
- Away form: Chesterfield have won 3 of their last 5 (D1, L1) and have not lost on the road in their last 2.
- Head-to-head: Chesterfield have won 3 of the last 5 head-to-head meetings between these 2 sides.
Promotion at stake for Notts County and Chesterfield
League Two’s play-off semi-final second leg takes place at Meadow Lane this Friday when Notts County welcome Chesterfield in a game which promises to be full of drama, intrigue and local rivalry. The Magpies have the higher placing, finishing 5th in the 2025-2026 League Two regular season with 80 points from 46 games. However, 6th-placed Chesterfield were just one point behind on 79, which makes this semi-final all the more intriguing.
Notts County also got the better of Chesterfield in the first leg of this fixture, winning 1-0 away from home. County’s record against Chesterfield has been poor of late, with the Magpies not having won any of their last 2 home games against Chesterfield, but they have been much improved since Martin Paterson took charge in June 2025.
Paterson’s flexible and unpredictable approach has seen the hosts keep their opponents guessing, while Alassana Jatta has been their talisman up top with 15 goals in 31 League Two appearances. Nicholas Tsaroulla has also been in good form lately, scoring two of their last four.
Tactical contrast could lead to end-to-end action
Chesterfield's approach
Chesterfield boss Paul Cook has been in charge since 2022 and knows exactly how to get his side to perform at their best.
- The visitors dominate possession, are patient in build up and possess a clinical finisher in Lee Bonis, who has 12 goals in 45 League Two games this campaign and has scored four of Chesterfield’s last seven.
- The hosts have had less possession than their opponents this term, but they are much more comfortable playing at a high tempo, transitioning quickly in attack and pressing forward when they don’t have the ball.
Match outlook
The tactical contrast between these two sides should lead to an end-to-end game, with Notts County much more direct than the visitors in terms of the way they play. Chesterfield can be patient when they have to be and have a well-disciplined structure that rarely allows opponents to break through, so this game really has it all and I’m backing the away side to come out on top in a high-scoring clash with both teams on the scoresheet.
