Notts County v Chesterfield prediction, lineups and tips: League Two play-off semi-final second leg

Notts County go into the second leg of their League Two play-off semi-final against Chesterfield in the most comfortable position a home side could ask for: a clean sheet away from the tie and a full house at Meadow Lane to finish it off. Jayden Luker's first-half strike at the Spireites gave Martin Paterson's side a 1-0 lead to bring back to Nottingham, and County will reach Wembley on 25 May if they simply avoid defeat on Friday night.

Paterson was measured after the first leg, urging his squad not to "get carried away" and warning that Chesterfield had shown enough in the second half to demand respect. That caution is not misplaced. The Spireites finished just one point behind County in the table after 46 games, did the league double over them this season, and have won on their last two visits to Meadow Lane in League Two, 2-1 in March 2025 and 3-2 earlier this year. County, for their part, have never won both legs of an EFL play-off semi-final, with this their seventh such tie.

Chesterfield manager Paul Cook goes into the game with fresh injury concerns after attacking midfielder Armando Dobra limped off in the first leg with what Cook described as a shoulder problem. Cook was direct about the prognosis after the game: "It doesn't look like it's a good injury. He'll be a big miss for us, he's a great player." The Spireites boss has also acknowledged that despite a one-goal deficit, his side are still very much alive. "The minute the referee blows the whistle we're getting beat 1-0," Cook told the Derbyshire Times. "There's 90 minutes to go, there's 17,000 people in the stadium and at some point it will become a cauldron."

There is extra edge to this fixture beyond league position. County beat Chesterfield on penalties in the National League promotion final at Wembley three years ago, a result Cook has not forgotten. The Spireites went up themselves the following season and both clubs have now collided at play-off stage again, in the same division, in the same round, against the same opponent. Cook did not shy away from the history: "You get to Wembley and as we tasted against Notts County, it's a horrible place to lose."

Notts County: Loach; Chicksen, Cameron, Rawlinson, Brindley; Hayden, Richardson, Robertson; Luker, Dennis, Jatta

Chesterfield: Loach; Rawlinson, Odutayo, Kerr, Sherring; Crookes, Clark; Mandron, Bonis, Cooper; Weston

Notts County v Chesterfield kicks off at 20:00 BST on Friday 15 May 2026 at Meadow Lane. The match is available live on Sky Sports Football and streamed via the Sky Sports app.