Tooley’s Take

Phil Tooley takes a look at the game and its context

Cheltenham Town 1 Chesterfield 0

League Two Game #28

Gutted, totally gutted. I expected (not just hoped for) a win at Whaddon Road. I know you can never expect anything in football anymore, but all the stars seemed aligned. Confidence from a 3-0 victory over Bromley, a really strong bench back, a great back catalogue against the Robins, the not so new newest players looking good and the newest new player having a solid CV (which was justified on the field).

As the match unwound, we watched little Rolex style perfection, it was more ‘free time-piece with ten gallons of petrol’ sort of play, but nevertheless, Chesterfield were ticking better than their hosts, with the impressive Michael Olakigbe showing that he’ll be a real asset. Armando Dobra’s movement was striking until, well, it came to striking, when his shot timing wasn’t quite bang on, and Tom Naylor’s two headed chances, on another day, would have meant Cheltenham would have finished the game Sekonda.

Possession and shots galore again, 64% and 17, but only three of the shots forced saves from the keeper, something of a familiar tale of late.

For 90 minutes, Paul Cook saw his men defend really well. Ryheem Sheckleford and Tyrone Williams, on the right side of the back four were terrific. Jamie Grimes, against his former club, and Jack Sparkes down the left also negated the home side from threatening. All good.

But the quality at the other end was lacking. Final ball and all that. Perhaps a factor was the fact that this is something of a ‘new’ team. Six of the XI had just 21 League Two starts between them for the Spireites this season at kick-off time. No pre-season moulding. Paddy Madden, starting only his sixth league game for the team (previous five W4 D1), had a far post header saved and a couple of speculative long-range efforts, but never found himself or was found by his colleagues in a gilt-edged spot.

Dylan Duffy, a proper Spireite now, forced a fine save, but his attacking prowess was reduced later in the game when he had to drop back top cover for Sparkes, who picked up what the manager described as a ‘deep gash’ to his leg. The stitches probably didn’t hurt as much as the last-gasp Robins winner, scored by full-back Arkell Jude-Boyd, who also scored his side’s equaliser at the SMH earlier in the season. Not sure if he was named after the three-times Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Arkle, or the local-ish brewery Arkell’s, either way he’s clearly a thoroughbred who can drive you to drink!

That concession hurt. Never did it look like Chesterfield were not going to earn at least a point, but as the manager eluded to afterwards, sometimes going all-out for a win makes you forget that you can lose what you deserve, and whilst a point would have still been a disappointment, getting zip was a real unexpected setback.

Eight points to seventh looks huge, as does 11 to third. I still feel that 13 wins are needed from the final 18 games to extend, doable but very, very tough. To put it into perspective, that’s 39 points from 18 after we’ve amassed 39 points from 28. You need to be an optimist to feel that is possible, but it is possible, starting with what I’ll call our first must-win game of the season, against Doncaster Rovers on Thursday.

Rovers are on a four on the trot winning run, but hopefully their heads will be on the following Monday night’s FA Cup encounter with Premier League Crystal Palace. Whilst every Spireite will be looking forward to the game, no doubt dreaming of a performance along the lines of the 3-0 win at Donny back in the Autumn, everyone’s immediate attention will be on who’s in and who’s out of the 22-man squad that has to be logged with the EFL on Monday.

Will there be any departures? Will there be any more new faces? Are any assets hidden away in a darkened room? The unique stature of a metaphorical window closing. Only in football. Fortunately only a real nightmare when you’ve got good players, but the real reality of the moment is that with 13 wins needed in the final 18 games, the Spireites have won just one in seven, good players or not.

Ouch, that hurts, but let’s all remember, it’s hurting whilst we are a Football League team in the top ten, managed by a top bloke and owned by a dream team. It hurts because we care and it hurts because we have real hope.

For real hurt, set the Time Machine for Boxing Day 2018, Chesterfield 0 Solihull Moors 4, Michael Nelson subbed (tactically) after nine minutes, Lee Shaw (40 appearances, one goal) up front and Jerome Binnom-Williams adding the backbone. That was a real, proper ‘Ouch Day’!

Phil’s Positive: Michael Olakigbe looked top drawer, as did the returning Tyrone Williams.

Next Match: Home to Doncaster Rovers on Thursday evening, February ,6 7.45pm kick-off. Full commentary on the commentary platform (find details on Chesterfield FC website). Build-up on 1866 Sport from 7pm, half-time and After the Whistle remains on the 1866 Sport App, online and on smart speaker.

Chesterfield (4-2-3-1 to start): Thompson; Sheckleford, Williams, Grimes, Sparkes (Colclough 71); Oldaker, Naylor; Olakigbe (Banks 83), Dobra, Duffy; Madden (Pepple 71). Unused Subs: Boot, Metcalfe, Fleck, Mandeville.