LINCOLN CITY manager Chris Sutton has challenged the players on the fringe of the Imps' first team to make life difficult for him, ahead of today's game at Chesterfield (3pm).

Sutton looks set to field almost an unchanged line-up from City's 1-1 home draw with Crewe last Saturday, with the exception of Albert Jarrett who is on international duty with Sierra Leone.

However, in midweek, the Imps boss made the decision to field a changed side for the Johnstone's Paint Trophy defeat at Rotherham and is urging the players who are not currently first-team starters to stake a claim for a regular place in Sutton's team.

Sutton will be looking to strengthen when the loan window reopens on Wednesday but is also keen to utilise the players he already has at his disposal.

Josh O'Keefe and Moses Swaibu both returned to the side at the Don Valley Stadium after missing the previous two games, club captain Scott Kerr played his first full 90 minutes since picking up an injury earlier in the season and Andrew Hutchinson filled the void left by Jarrett.

"If we can bring people in to improve the squad, then it would be stupid of us not to," said Sutton.

"But there is an opportunity at the moment for players to prove their worth and it is good for competition.

"I don't think we are that bad off. We have had the injuries and Albert's international call-up but that's part and parcel of football and we have to get on with it.

"Young Andrew Hutchinson did not do too badly the other night either.

"He has got work to do but he is coming on quite well and I would not be frightened to put him in the first team if I had to.

"He is young and learning the game and has shown throughout the different levels of the game that he can finish.

"He needs to get a better understanding of the game under his belt but I don't think he is a million miles away."

Sutton insisted he did not play a weakened side at Rotherham and stressed his side put on a decent show.

"They didn't really open us up, scored a deflected goal and we did not deserve to lose," he said.

"On another night, we could have gone through."

The Imps, unbeaten in their previous two League Two games, travel to North Derbyshire to face a Spireites side who are unbeaten in the league.

They boast an embarrassment of riches in attack with Dean Morgan, Drew Talbot, Craig Davies, Jordan Bowery and Jack Lester at their disposal, while midfielder Danny Whitaker already has a hat-trick to his name this season.

"They are a handful going forward and have had a good start but we have got to deal with it and if we do, we will hopefully cause one or two problems ourselves," said Sutton.

"They like to attack and they beat Walsall the other night in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy, but it's about what we do as much as anything."