Chesterfield manager Paul Cook has called for his players to sharpen their defensive work ahead of Saturday's FA Cup first round tie against Yeovil Town. The Spireites, who sit 10th in League Two with 19 points from 14 games, have conceded 21 goals this season, a tally Cook wants to address. Their league campaign so far consists of five wins, four draws and five losses.

"We have a group of lads that clearly are talented but we clearly need to brush up on aspects of the game," Cook said. He stressed that improvement comes from consistent effort on the training ground.

Yeovil pose a threat

Their opponents, Yeovil Town, are managed by Billy Rowley and currently sit fifth in the National League. They bring a decent away record to the SMH Group Stadium, despite a 2-0 defeat at Halifax last weekend. The Glovers have sold more than 400 tickets for the trip in just over 24 hours, indicating strong support. Rowley has his team well organised and difficult to break down, which will test Chesterfield's attacking play as much as their defence.

Defensive frailties highlighted

Cook's focus is understandable given Chesterfield's recent results. They have the second-highest 'Goals Against' total in the top half of League Two. This was starkly illustrated in a 4-1 defeat away to Newport County last Friday, a result that left them 12 points behind leaders Salford City. Their form over the last five matches reads one win, two draws and two losses, a run that includes that defeat, a 5-1 win over Crewe, a 1-1 draw with Colchester, a 1-0 loss at Port Vale and a 2-2 draw at Crawley Town. The team has scored 24 goals this season but needs to tighten up.

Leading the attack is top scorer L. Bonis with 13 goals, but defensive work is the immediate concern. The FA Cup tie kicks off at 3pm on Saturday, with no replays from this stage. Drawn matches will go straight to extra time and penalties. After the cup fixture, Chesterfield's attention returns to League Two with an away trip to 17th-placed Bristol Rovers on Saturday 14 November. Cook confirmed the team will travel to the Memorial Stadium for that league encounter, where he hopes to see the defensive work pay off. Supporters can track the team's progress in the standings as Cook works to iron out the deficiencies.

This story first appeared at ripleyandheanornews.co.uk