The Spireites lost 2-0 in their first home league game of the season this afternoon, against Arnold Eagles. Top of the league on goal difference, the Spireites were hoping to keep their place after their 4-1 win last weekend. Despite a battling performance from the Spireites, it wasn’t meant to be.
Andrea Parkinson made two changes to last week’s starting line-up- with Megan Clarkson and Megan Breeze absent, Hayley Hulme and Holly Willoughby made their full debuts. Erin George made the bench after signing this week from the Football & Education programme, as did Katelin Lee after captaining the U18 team for the last two weeks.
It was an edgy start to the game for Chesterfield with Arnold having a couple of half chances in the opening minutes. The Spireites began to dominate the game around 20 minutes in, passing the ball around freely, something that Spireites fans have seen over the last two games.
Despite the dominance from Chesterfield, Arnold took the lead in the 35th minute. Rhianne Carroll was in a 1v1 situation with the opposition striker and did well to get a touch on the ball, but the referee saw an infringement and awarded Arnold a penalty which their striker tucked away to make it 1-0 to the visitors.
The Spireites reacted well to conceding and came close to equalising when Kadi Townsend’s shot rattled a post. The half ended with the majority of play in the Arnold half as the Spireites kept pushing for an equaliser.
The second half saw the Spireites carry on where they left off and their determination led to a handful of chances, but unfortunately couldn’t find the back of the net. However, Arnold doubled their lead on the hour-mark with a shot from distance that found the bottom corner to make it 2-0.
The Spireites battled well, but unfortunately couldn’t force an equaliser. The focus shifts to the FA Cup next Sunday, when Chesterfield take on Rotherham United in the second preliminary round.
Spireites: Carroll, Francis, Willoughby (George 75), Townsend, O’Brien, Hulme (Graham 65), Pinkney, Watkinson (Singleton 65), Bunyan, Delaney (Lee 70), Lilleyman (Turner 70)
