"We'll be fully ready for them" - Cooper on Town's crunch clash with champions elect Chesterfield

Chesterfield are within touching distance of clinching the title after a remarkable season in the National League and will do so Barnet drop points at home to Eastleigh on Tuesday, or failing that, if they avoid defeat at The Shay.

But Town, who made it six wins out of seven with Sunday’s victory at Oxford City, have plenty to play for in the game too, with a win enough to move them into the play-off places.

"Looking forward to it," Cooper told the Courier, "similar to other games under the lights at The Shay against a big team.

"They're champions elect and it could potentially be decided before then with Barnet's game against Eastleigh on Tuesday night.

"We've already prepped for the game once, we'll review their recent games and the changes they've made in personnel.

"We'll be fully up for the game, I think it'll be an exciting game to watch, it'll be two teams going for it.

"There's a lot to play for, we're in a good vein of form and we'll be highly motivated to continue that run of form.

"We won't get too ahead of ourselves in terms of looking at the league table because of the games-in-hand situation.

"We won't get dragged into that and the ifs and buts, we'll just fully focus on ourselves and getting a performance like we've had lately."

Cooper says he doesn't expect anyone back off Town's injury list for the game.

"I wouldn't expect so, this is the group we've got and we'll make sure we're fully prepped and ready," he said.

When asked how Town can beat such a formidable opponent, Cooper said: "I thought we gave them a really good game away from home.

"We've got to have that energy, we've got to be really well-organised when we don't have the ball and we've got to show traits and elements we showed on Sunday, being brave on the ball, play balls through the lines and work it into areas we can hurt them.

"But it's been shown in recent games that it's not anyone can beat anyone, anyone is beating anyone in this league.

"People in the relegation zone are beating teams in the play-offs and at the top of the league.

"We've got massive respect for Paul Cook and his staff and what they've built over the time they've been able to bed in as a team and a group, but we have absolutely no fear going into playing them that we can get a result and a performance against them, absolutely not.

"We'll be fully ready for them."

Chesterfield have been given 3,000 tickets for the game, and Cooper hopes the Halifax fans can match the Spireites supporters for noise and backing on the night.

"We're going to need the fans behind us," he said, "they're going to have to get behind us in the moments of the game where we're suffering and things aren't going so well.

"That's when we're really going to need them because the atmosphere's going to be great, it's one of those games you want to be involved with so if we can get the supporters right behind us there's absolutely no reason why we can't get a result on Wednesday night."