Pressure is on the Steel City duo insists Grayson

The trio of Yorkshire clubs are locked in a fight with Milton Keynes Dons to join runaway leaders Charlton Athletic in clinching automatic promotion.

Grayson’s Terriers travel to relegation-threatened Chesterfield tonight sitting fourth in the table, five points behind both Sheffield clubs but with a game in hand.

With the second-placed Blades and the Owls only separated by goal difference in the table, the Town manager knows the two neighbouring sets of fans and players will be desperate to keep the other at bay.

And that, Grayson hopes, will put the Steel City rivals under such intense pressure that his Huddersfield side can take advantage by leapfrogging both to claim the second promotion place.

Speaking to the Yorkshire Post, the Terriers chief said: “The pressure is on those above us.

“Charlton have had a little blip. I am not saying they won’t go up but everyone still thinks they are catchable.

“Then there is pressure on the two Sheffield teams because everyone in the city is fighting against each other. And they are in the positions with things to lose at this moment in time.

“I definitely think there is extra pressure on them. We are in fourth but they are going head-to-head amid a rivalry in the city.

“Let’s hope we can play on that during the rest of the season. The key for us is making sure we enjoy what we do and make sure we have no regrets whenever we come off the pitch.

“We don’t want to be thinking, ‘I wish we’d done this better’ and then found out that someone else has slipped up. We have to go full on into those games.”

Huddersfield are unbeaten in six games since Grayson succeeded Lee Clark as manager.

However, with only two of those half-dozen matches having been won, it is the two Sheffield clubs who have stolen a march on their rivals from West Yorkshire in recent weeks.

As United head to form team Notts County and a Walsall side who have already beaten Wednesday this season visit Hillsborough, Grayson is hoping to tonight claw back some ground on the two Sheffield clubs.

To do so, Huddersfield are looking to beat bottom club Chesterfield – a team who will this weekend compete in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy final against Swindon Town at Wembley.

Asked if he thought the impending trip to the national stadium could mean the Spireites having one eye on Sunday, Grayson said: “They won’t be distracted. John (Sheridan, manager) won’t let them. The bigger picture for them is staying in League One.

“John is a good friend of mine. He wants to pass the ball around and they have some good players. Chesterfield are fighting for their lives and after winning promotion last season, they will be desperate to stay up.

“I have spoken to John over the season and he said they have not got what they deserved.

“I am sure they will have a right, good go between now and the end of the season at staying up. But it is a game we can win.”

Town have suffered just one away defeat, at Charlton on November 28. It is an admirable record, though with 11 of those 17 matches having ended as draws, Grayson is aware that his side need to start claiming more wins.

He added: “We need to win as many as possible. On Saturday at Colchester (when Town equalised in stoppage time to claim a point), I knew we needed something from the game – hence why we had such an attacking formation at the back end of the game.

“We can still achieve automatic promotion but draws, while pleasing to get a point, are not what we need. Having said that, it did feel like a win – unlike the ones previously when we felt like we had lost due to letting leads slip.”

Diego Arismendi made his Town debut as a late substitute at Colchester and the Uruguayan is likely to have to be content with a place on the bench again tonight.

Grayson was, however, encouraged by what he saw from the former Barnsley midfielder during his late cameo to suggest he will be a good signing for the Terriers.

He said: “Diego has got good presence and can handle the ball. He wants to be a play-maker and brings good experience from his time at Barnsley in the Championship (last season).

“He also has international caps for Uruguay and Stoke don’t pay the kind of money they have without him being a good player.

“He is a little bit short in terms of match fitness, as you would expect. But he is a good option, whether starting or off the bench.

“In the time he was on the pitch at Colchester, he showed some nice touches.”

Arismendi was Grayson’s first signing as Town manager, and he admits to still be looking to bring in a new face before Thursday’s deadline.

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Last six games: Chesterfield LLWDDD, Huddersfield Town WDDWDD.

Last time: Chesterfield 3 Huddersfield Town 3; October 6, 2009; Football League Trophy.

Referee: C Sarginson (Staffordshire).