Chesterfield v Walsall Tips: Back Will Grigg to be on fire in opening playoff semi | OneFootball

EFL League One & League Two

Will Grigg's experience will be a big plus for Chesterfield

Alan Dudman landed a final day 7/1 winning treble last weekend and previews Sunday's League Two playoff action...

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Chesterfield's push for playoffs came from nowhere

The biggest question in League Two this season is what happened to Walsall?

They looked de factor title winners before Christmas and at times were a very reliable source for the column, but to say it has all gone pear-shaped since late January with just three wins in 21 games, and that's relegation form.

Paul Cook, a canny old buzzard, will no doubt have been watching Walsall's fall from grace like a cat watches a mouse as Chesterfield have arrived into the playoffs from nowhere, and almost have nothing to lose here as a playoff spot never looked likely for much of the season.

In terms of the Promotion Market outrights, the betting resembles a four-runner greyhound race around Monmore with 2/1, to 3/1 covering the quartet.

Chesterfield are dangerous floaters here; at 3/1 they are the biggest of the four.

Match Odds

Chesterfield 10/11 v Walsall 13/5, the draw 7/4

Chesterfield's home form has wonderful symmetry to it with 10 wins and 10 draws, but with just three home defeats at SMH Group Stadium, or Saltergate in old money, all season, they rightly deserve to be 10/11 here given their current run.

Eight wins from their last 13, the Spirerites have been scoring for fun too as they hit Morecambe for four and drew 3-3 with promoted Bradford last month but Walsall had Chesterfield's measure in their two fixtures this season; winning 3-1 and drawing 2-2.

"We are under illusions of how tough it will be. I am also really looking forward to it. I really love our stadium when it is bouncing. I love the build-up to it. The players are looking forward to it," said Cook on the eve of the match.

Chesterfield shade it for me in terms of the pick, but the play here is to go for goals given the season's games.

Over 2.5 at Evens is bigger than the 4/5 for the Under 2.5 Goals, and I would have that the other way around due to Chesterfield's recent scoring run.

Walsall did keep two clean sheets from their final three games but they did ship over 50 goals home and away all season and the hosts have a very impressive home xG of 1.78 this term from their fixtures.

In terms of history, you could not get a more even split with 10 Chesterfield wins, 11 for Walsall, and nine draws.

Veteran Grigg to keep the fires burning

Aribim Pepple's loan move to Chesterfield provided a bit of impetus and a much-needed pace threat, while the old warhorse Will Grigg has returned to fitness just in time for another playoff hurrah and he hit three in his final three games.

Grigg at 33 years of age seems to have been around a lot longer, but his experience will be crucial here for Cook his goalscoring record for the Spirerites with 37 in 53 career games means I want to go with the veteran for Sunday. He's the same price as Pepple for First Goalscorer and Anytime Scorer, and the latter at 15/8 can hopefully set us up for the return leg.

It's also worth mentioning Michael Jacobs for Chesterfield, a very talented playmaker with the capabilities if playing higher, but injuries have often been his bette noire. It was good to see him score against Barrow earlier in the season.

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