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Cook: Derby talk off limits

Image: Paul Cook: Cans talk of cup tie with local rivals Derby

Paul Cook watched Chesterfield set up an all-Derbyshire FA Cup tie against Derby before banning talk of the clash with the Rams.

The Spireites are set for a money-spinning trip to the iPro Stadium on January 24 after two extra-time goals from Sam Clucas saw them overcome Scunthorpe in Tuesday night's third-round replay. Before that, though, Cook's men travel to Swindon looking to maintain their play-off challenge in League One and his assistant Leam Richardson revealed the elation of reaching the next stage was short-lived. "As soon as the door shut after the final whistle the manager put a stop to that and told the players to put it to the back of their minds, then he started talking about Swindon," said Richardson. "So in his mind it's all the focus on Swindon and we will be in on Wednesday dusting ourselves down and working for the rest of the week towards Swindon." Chesterfield had enjoyed the better of the goalless 90 minutes at the Proact Stadium but could not find a breakthrough until Clucas scored from close range right at the end of the first period of extra-time. The former Hereford and Mansfield midfielder then ensured a first competitive meeting with neighbours Derby since February 1986 with a lovely curling effort from 25 yards out with four minutes remaining. "I think over the two games, with the way the lads applied themselves, we deserve to go through," said Richardson, whose side fought back from a two-goal deficit in the original tie at Glanford Park last week to draw 2-2. "But you have to give credit to Scunthorpe, who gave us two great games. "Perhaps we could have done without extra-time but the lads have really looked after themselves over the Christmas period and, like I said, applied themselves really well and it's really pleasing. It's a proud night for Chesterfield." When prize money and gate receipts are taken into consideration, it is no exaggeration the fourth-round tie against Derby could be worth in the region of £250,000 to Chesterfield. Richardson added: "I've just said in a previous interview that we've all come from places or clubs where times have been quite humble, so a tie like Derby is fantastic and something to look forward to. "Ties like this one give players little bonuses and I'm sure the chief executive and the chairman will have a little beer and a smile." Scunthorpe manager Mark Robins was left to rue the absence of three ineligible loan players but he had few complaints about the result. "I said all along that Chesterfield have a stronger FA Cup squad than us, given the changes we've had to make," said Robins. "We were unable to play Tom Hopper, Jacob Murphy and Luke O'Neil but I have no arguments. The lads gave everything and in the end we have come up just short. We pushed them all the way, as hard as we could, but we ran out of legs in extra-time. "I thought our defensive strategy worked well but we never really got going or got it together from an attacking point of view, despite creating one or two chances. "Maybe we might have nicked it in the end but I've no complaints really."

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