Chesterfield prepare to lock horns with The division's second hive of Bees on Saturday or at least we would, I suppose, if bees had horns. Brentford visit on Saturday for a game given greater significance by the size of the task, since three suspensions will rob The Spireites of influential players. We will miss Rob Page and Lloyd Kerry, who are two games into a three-game ban, and Jamie Ward, who sits out this match after last week's two yellows at Rochdale.

The last time we had three suspended was not so distant as you might have thought;December 17^th, 2005, at home to Oldham. Derek Niven, Mark Allott and Shane Nicholson sat out a 1-1 draw - one of eight consecutive draws we made, to equal the Football League record. There were a couple of occasions last season when two were ruled out, not least the sterling win at MK Dons.

How will we confront these enforced absences? Up front, Jack Lester is on the verge of a return in what is likely to be a straight swap for Ward, while Val Teixeira has received the necessary clearance to be able to make his League debut, if selected. It hardly seems to need mentioning that he will be our first Portugese-born player when he makes his debut. Luke Boden can be pressed into service among the forwards, if needed, but he may get the nod in Kerry's midfield place, his extra height being an advantage. Aaron Downes and Kevin Austin made a decent enough pairing at Rochdale and will probably get the nod to continue against The Bees.

Brentford sit four places above us in 7^th, and will not surrender that advantage unless we can put seven unopposed goals past them on Saturday. Given that we've scored seven or more in only eleven out of the 3,562 matches we'd played up to the start of this season, you may take it that we'll be no higher than eighth at 5pm on Saturday! We've won the last two against them here, but theirs is a decent enough record, with eleven wins against fifteen defeats. Not bad, for an away side anywhere.

The Bees have this week picked up the free agent John Halls, a defender who was released by the Biscuitmen on their relegation from the Premiership. Marvin Williams had to leave the 1-1 draw with Lincoln early through injury, and Halls may step straight into the side in his place. West London media informs us that Williams is about to become a father and may be given leave to miss our game. Gary Smith has had an operation to remove floating bone from an ankle but midfielder Josh Wright, a recent signing from Charlton, made a decent debut last Saturday. Long-serving midfielder Kevin O'Connor is suspended.

As usual, the game will be covered live on SPIREITES WORLD. While it was interesting to get an opponent's perspective last Saturday, we expect normal service to resume with two ever-so-slightly pro-Chesterfield commentators present!