Jones is pleased with his side's tie in the third round
Town boss Nathan Jones said he is pleased with the Checkatrade Trophy draw against Chesterfield at home, ahead of his side’s Sky Bet League Two match against Carlisle United.
Josh McQuoid netted a brace and Isaac Vassell scored once to give Town a victory at the County Ground over Swindon Town, further adding to Jones’ headache of which strikers to play regularly up front.
Alongside McQuoid and Vassell, the gaffer can pick from top scorer Danny Hylton and Jack Marriott, who scored twice against Soihull Moors on Saturday, and fit-again Craig Mackail-Smith to lead the line.
The Welshman was asked about his selection policy for strikers, and although he conceded it’s a very difficult decision every week, he believes it is very much a positive to be faced with the task of choosing.
He said: “Of course they are giving me a selection headache and that’s what’s good. We have four fully fit, raring to go strikers.
“Mackail-Smith is a little bit behind, because obviously he just needs minutes and time, then there’s the competition that Zane Banton and Jordan Cook provide as well.
“We have got six or seven there to choose from. But the four, the two that played the other night and the two that started against Solihull, are four in real, real good form. It’s brilliant for a manager to have.”
The win over Swindon sees the Hatters make the final 16 of the Checkatrade Trophy, with the draw against the Spireites at Kenilworth Road a welcome fixture by the Town boss, who has once again seen his young side defeat a team from the division above.
“When you get to this stage I think everything is much of a muchness to be honest. We are at home and we get another chance to test ourselves against higher league opposition,” Jones continued.
“It’s a good draw, I was fearing a big journey, because we have had that recently. But no, we are pleased. It’ll be a tough game, but we are just pleased we are at home.
“It’s a competition we would like to do very well in and we have picked sides accordingly. As we stand we have been quite successful in it.”
Although a number of last year’s and this season’s youth team are appearing in the competition, Jones made it clear he sees it as an excellent opportunity for members of his squad who haven’t got as many minutes as they would’ve liked to get some game time.
Jones said: “They don’t play in the Checkatrade Trophy because they’re not a part of my plans or anything like that, they play in it because we want them to do well.
“We have assembled a squad to compete on all levels. Praise the lord, we have got a real good injury record at the moment. So we have got all of them fit and they are all competing.”
Town welcome Carlisle United to Kenilworth Road this Saturday, a fixture Jones is expecting to be a tough match for his side with the Cumbrians seven points above the Town in second place.
“We will pick a side we feel is capable of winning against Carlisle at the weekend and then we go from there,” Jones said. “The players give you a headache every day because you see them train, the decisions I have are daily decisions and I have them every week. All I have done is reiterate that I believe in them.”