Tooley’s Take

Phil Tooley takes a look at the game and its context

Chesterfield 0 Walsall 2

League Two Play-off Semi-final First Leg

(Note to self; despite it being THE LAW, do not use the phrase ‘it’s only half-time’).

A year ago, Crewe Alexandra 0 Doncaster Rovers 2, EFL2 play-off semi-final first leg. Crewe go through. Two years ago, EFL1 play-off semi-final first leg, Peterborough United 4 Sheffield Wednesday 0. The Owls go through. Cue call from John (known as Tom) to BBC Radio Sheffield to get us all to well up and believe. It’s a one-off match with Chesterfield being Top of the Pops in England for wins by three goals plus. Believe.

The Saddlers rode into Town with a game plan, and By Jove, they worked it to perfection. From physically blocking Will Grigg’s run at the kick-off to the keeper picking up more injuries than a medium size A&E unit treats on a daily basis, Mat Sadler’s team did him proud. And we thought that National League teams were top dogs in the Dark Arts. Wrong.

The visitors know how to play without the ball. They know how to hump the ball away when they’re 2-0 up to give them time to re-shape and get ready to block again. They know how the clock works and, most importantly, they know how to come together and play their plan as a team.

Disappointment for them for sure eight days earlier, but the DNA that got them to fourth, that saw them take a point from the SMH and beat Chesterfield in the West Midlands after being second best for the first 45, didn’t need a scientist to locate it. It was there, in plain sight, and it’s helix is one that Spireites have been generally unable to unlock, unable to make the vital breakthrough to continually pressurise the new Nathan Ashmore. But the key to that complex lock needs to be found by Friday.

The first battle may have been lost, but cracking the enigma of the Saddlers’ cipher will be the talk of the coaches’ room and the playing fields of Cylinders in a bid to put in a million dollars performance at The Poundland Stadium.

It could have been different. Ryan Colclough, Ash Palmer, Tom Naylor and Bim Pepple were all denied by Tommy Simkin, which is in fact an anagram of ‘I stink mommy,’ whilst Ryan Boot’s main work was to palm over a long ranger from ex-Spireite Levi Amantchi.

No qualms over the penalty, it was the right decision by the referee, but it was decision making in general that was the Spireites’ undoing. Plenty of passing, most of it accurate, but perhaps a tad slow, perhaps not the optimum ball that would have opened up the visitors.

Second goal, again from Chesterfield’s right, a bit of bad luck as Kyle McFadzen’s outstretched leg clearance fell to Birmingham City loanee Alex Chang, who has Championship football experience, to 20-yard in his first ever senior goal, through a crowd. That meant Walsall could sit back, play to their strengths and their plan, and take a solid lead into the second leg.

Paul Cook’s side got into good positions, they put in 27 crosses (compared to nine), had 30 touches in the Walsall box (14 for WFC) and they put in 95 successful final third passes (43 for Walsall), but it just didn’t click. Decisions, not as good as usual, Grigg isolated, Michael Olakigbe seemingly affected by his early booking and the dangerous looking Colclough not being served as much as we would have liked to have seen. Poor to middling at best.

The gaffer has recorded a 3-0 win as a manager at Walsall before, for Wigan Athletic, in March 2018. His squad that day included Colclough, Jacobs, Dunkley, Grigg and Roberts, so there are plenty of people in the dressing room who know what’s needed, indeed Jacobs and Dunkley were both on the scoresheet.

You can get 12-1 on Chesterfield winning promotion. Before the game at Accrington Stanley, 14-1 was on offer. The odds arr strengthening!

Phil’s Positive: Still 90 minutes to go; think March 1995, key game, Walsall 1 Chesterfield 3!

Next Match: Friday, May 16, 8pm kick-off, at Walsall in the second leg of the L2 play-off semi-final. All of the build-up on 1866 Sport from 7o’clock, then onto the commentary platform (find details on Chesterfield FC website), with half-time and After the Whistle remaining on the 1866 Sport App, online and on smart speaker.

Chesterfield (4-2-3-1 to start): Boot; Mandeville, Palmer, McFadzean, Gordon (Sparkes 87); Fleck (Jacobs 87), Metcalfe; Olakigbe (Dobra 67), Naylor (Pepple 79), Colclough (Duffy 79); Grigg. Unused Subs: Thompson, Grimes