THE SPIREITES STILL LEADING THE WAY IN THE VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE....BUT ONLY JUST

TABLE COURTESY OF footballwebpages.co.uk

Chesterfield, who have only lost one league game all season, currently lead the way in The Vanarama National League, but only just as they are being pushed hard by a number of teams - Just four points separate The Spireites and Solihull Moors in seventh place which will be the last play-off place available at the end of the season. 

James Rowe's squad will be looking forward to their up and coming Emirates FA Cup Third Round tie at Stamford Bridge against Chelsea but the former Gloucester City boss will be focusing on their FA Trophy home game against Guiseley on Saturday followed by three massive league home games over the Christmas period against Notts County, FC Halifax Town and Kings Lynn Town. 

The Spireites paid league rival's Boreham Wood an undisclosed fee for striker Kabonga Tshimanga over the summer and many people said at the time his goals would help them to the title - The former MK Dons, Boston United and Oxford City player has so far scored 18  league goals and has a host of league clubs interested in his services as was the case when he was with Boreham Wood. 

Before we focus on the chasing pack of teams behind Chesterfield I thought it would be good to have a look at the race to beat the drop. 

Dover Athletic, who started the season on -12 for failing to fulfil their fixtures last season, look like they already have one foot in the Vanarama South Division for the 2022/23 campaign. The Kent side last played at Step Two in the 2013/14 season. The Whites are yet to win a game and lost at relegation rival's Kings Lynn Town at the weekend.  

Andy Hessenthaler's team get a break from league action at the weekend in the FA Trophy Third Round but it doesn't get any easier as they host Bromley who are currently third in the table. They then play Dagenham & Redbridge both home and away as well as a trip to Woking over the Christmas period. 

Aaron Cosgrave, 22, is their current top scorer. He joined League One side AFC Wimbledon from Isthmian Premier Division side Lewes over the summer and is currently on loan at The Crabble. He has netted four goals which came at home against Barnet and Aldershot Town with strikes away from home at Altrincham and Eastleigh.  Koby Arthur, 25, has three goals - He joined from Kidderminster Harriers over the summer. 

Kings Lynn Town's win over Dover Athletic was only their third of the season so far and marked Tommy Widdrington's first game in charge of The Linnets. The former Eastbourne Borough, Salisbury City and Hemel Hempstead Town boss has been head of recruitment at Coventry City and Bristol Rovers recently where he had been caretaker manager in two separate spells. 

Joshua Barret scored both goals in the 2-1 win who joined the Norfolk club in October following his release from Bristol Rovers in September so he is one player Widdrington will have knowledge of.  Striker Connor Kurran-Browne, 19, was on the bench as an unused substitute for the game having recently joined on loan from Championship side AFC Bournemouth. He has also had a spell in Watford's academy and was selected for the full Guyana National squad in July but has yet to make an appearance. 

The Linnets would of been relegated if last season was a normal one but after finishing 21st they were reprieved due no football taking place below step one. 

Maidenhead United, Weymouth and Southend United are all on 15 points just above Kings Lynn Town followed by Aldershot Town on 20 points. 

The Magpies escaped relegation by goal difference in the curtailed 19/20 season where they finished on 1.08 ppg along with Ebbsfleet United who were sent down on goal difference. Last season Alan Devonshire's side finished in a respectable 13th position - the former West Ham United player has been in charge at York Road since May 2015. This his second spell with the club having been boss from 1996 to 2003. 

After two good 3-2 wins against Woking and Wrexham they are currently on a run of six games without a win which has seen five defeats and only one draw against fellow struggler's Southend United.  During those six games they have only scored twice (Josh Kelly and Kane Ferdinand) and conceded 17 goals which is 44.73% of their total let in for their 18 games played so far. 

The Terras have won 4 games in their 19 played so far which have come at home against Kings Lynn Town and Maidenhead United along with away victories at Aldershot Town and Solihull Moors.  They have scored the most goals of the current bottom five teams with 21 scored but like all the club's currently near the bottom of the table they need a striker who nets on a regular basis I think which is, of course, easier said then done. 

Rhys Murphy of Southend United is the top scorer in the bottom five with 7 goals in 18 games - The Shrimpers, who were playing in League One in the 19/20 season, are in real trouble and could slip down to the Vanarama South for the 21/22 campaign as they have recently been placed under a transfer embargo by the league due to financial issues off the pitch so at present head coach Kevin Maher will be unable to add to the squad at Roots Hall. Maher was appointed in place of Phil Brown back in mid October and like Widdrington has been on the coaching staff of Bristol Rovers and also been caretaker manager with the club.  

The Shrimpers can also count on the experience of former Barnet boss Darren Currie who is Maher's Assistant Coach and fomer Canvey Island boss Mark Bentley who is also on the coaching team at Roots Hall. 

Weymouth have three players on three goals each - Bradley Ash, Josh Leslie Smith & Josh McQuoid. Maidenhead United have three players on five goals each - Sam Barratt, Kane Ferdinand and Josh Kelly. Kings Lynn's top scorer is Michael Clunan on three goals with the aforementioned Aaron Cosgrave on four goals for Dover Athletic. 

Looking at the current form table Dover Athletic and Maidenhead United have one point from the last eighteen on offer with King's Lynn Town and Weymouth on three - Southend United are on seven points. 

Yeovil Town are top of the form table at present with five wins and one draw (against Dover Athletic!) in their last six league games - The Glovers lost five of their opening ten league games but have since won six and drawn two only letting in three goals in those eight games. 

YEOVIL TOWN FORM COMPARISON

FIRST 10 GAMES v LAST 8 

P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	PTS
10	3	2	5	9	12	-3	11
8	6	2	0	11	3	+8	20

Back at the top of the division it's Boreham Wood, Bromley and Wrexham pushing Chesterfield at the top of the table. FC Halifax Town, Solihull Moors and Notts County will all also think they are in with a shout of winning the title. 

Grimsby Town were well involved with the title race in the early stages of the season but have since dropped down to 8th place losing six games in their last nine played.  They have gone from scoring 2.4 goals per game in their first ten played to just 0.78 per game in their last nine. 

GRIMSBY TOWN FORM COMPARISON 

FIRST 10 v LAST 9 

P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	PTS
10	7	2	1	24	11	+13	23
9	3	0	6	7	10	+3	9

Skybet.com make Chesterfield 6/4 favourites followed by Wrexham at 9/2 and Boreham Wood at 6/1. The Welsh side have won four of their last six league games but have only scored six goals in those games - They entertain Gloucester City in the FA Trophy on Saturday followed by a huge game at home to Solihull Moors on Boxing Day. 

FORTHCOMING FIXTURES 

Tuesday 14th December

Eastleigh v Solihull Moors 

FC Halifax Town v King's Lynn Town 

Tuesday 21st December

Chesterfield v Notts County 

Grimsby Town v Boreham Wood 

Sunday 26th December

Aldershot Town v Woking

Barnet v Boreham Wood 

Bromley v Southend United 

Dover Athletic v Dagenham & Redbridge 

FC Halifax Town v Grimsby Town

King's Lynn Town v Notts County

Stockport County v Altrincham 

Torquay United v Yeovil Town 

Wealdstone v Maidenhead United 

Weymouth v Eastleigh 

Wrexham v Solihull Moors 

Tuesday 28th December 

Altrincham v Wrexham 

Boreham Wood v Wealdstone

Chesterfield v FC Halifax Town

Dagenham & Redbridge v Aldershot Town

Eastleigh v Torquay United

Grimsby Town v King's Lynn Town 

Maidenhead United v Bromley 

Solihull Moors v Stockport County

Southend United v Barnet

Woking v Dover Athletic 

Yeovil Town v Weymouth