Dress rehearsal before the league opener: Fleetwood Town vs Chesterfield prediction
Fleetwood
Chesterfield
The first round tie of the English Football League Cup between Fleetwood Town and Chesterfield will take place on August 8 at Highbury Stadium in Fleetwood. Both clubs will compete in League Two this season, and they'll face each other again soon - on August 15, this time in the league opener.
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Fleetwood Town: four straight wins followed by a dip
Matt Lawlor's side had a lively preseason, winning their first four friendlies against Bamber Bridge, Chester, Southport, and Huddersfield. Afterwards, Fleetwood drew 1-1 with Bolton and wrapped up preparations with a 0-1 defeat to Hartlepool.
This summer, the squad was bolstered by Josh Thomas, Andy Cannon, Danny Andrew, James Pradic, and Jake Batty, while Ronan Coughlan signed a new contract. Veteran Ched Evans has been named captain for the 2026/27 season and is expected to start in this cup clash.
Chesterfield: revamped squad after playoff heartbreak
Last season, Chesterfield finished sixth in League Two but crashed out in the playoff semifinals to Notts County. Their summer build-up was brief: Paul Cook's team played out a 0-0 draw with Sheffield United, lost 2-3 to Halifax, and ended preseason with a 1-1 draw against Scunthorpe.
The club has undergone a major overhaul, bringing in 10 new signings, including Alfie Pond and Freddie Ladapo. Cook plans to field a strong lineup, with Pond in line for a debut at the heart of defence; importantly, there are no fresh injury concerns for the visitors ahead of this fixture.
Match facts and head-to-head
- Fleetwood won their first four preseason games in a row.
- Chesterfield failed to win any of their three preseason matches.
- The teams will meet again on August 15 in the opening round of League Two.
The visitors look slightly stronger on paper: Fleetwood Town vs Chesterfield prediction
This clash promises to be tightly contested, as both teams are from the same division and will cross paths again soon in the league. Fleetwood started preseason brightly but were less convincing in their last two outings, raising questions about their current form.
Chesterfield failed to win this summer, but they finished last season well above Fleetwood and are still hungry for promotion. A flurry of new signings adds some uncertainty, but in terms of squad quality and potential, Cook’s men seem to have a slight edge.
