Phil Tooley takes a look at the game and its context
Harrogate Town 1 Chesterfield 2
League Two Game #5
Hoodoo ended. Harrogate Town finally beaten. Just. But it should have been easier. Plenty of great chances to have put the cream on top of the jammy scones to have beaten the Betty’s much earlier.
The minute or so that saw Armando Dobra and Lee Bonis hit high and then Stephen Duke-McKenna equalise after an inch-perfect through ball from ex-Maidenhead man Shawn McCoulsky (Smith and sub Asare are also both ex-previous hoodoo side) shaped how the final 40 minutes was played.
Should have been 2-0, became 1-1 in the blink of an eye, frustrated home fans all of a sudden sniff an opportunity for the Sulphurites, who proceeded to push on, win a few corners and generally become a right nuisance, as they always have been in contests with the Spireites.
Twice before, in the previous six meetings, Simon Weaver’s side have come from behind to beat Chesterfield, twice before they’ve scored in the last minute to change the result in their favour, including last season at Wetherby Road when they got a last-gasp winner assisted by the referee! In this game, the ball hit the ref, he stopped play and restarted with a drop-ball. Who knew that was supposed to happen? In short, owt can happed with t’Gate in opposition. Harrowing.
It started so well, Dobra to Bonis, what a show of strength and turn from him, slipped it to Ronan Darcy and, as my Sky is Blue Podcast pal Darryl Carpenter suggested to me, he finished in the style of Sir Jack. Defenders on the floor in numbers. Delightful Mr Darcy. Early #GOTS contender.
Decent if not dominant for the rest of the first half, deserved lead at the break, but that soon changed with Harrogate’s equaliser, as did the dynamic of the game. The home side saw plenty of the ball and ended up having enjoyed the majority of possession, the first time since Chesterfield won 2-1 at Notts County, 18 games ago, that our opponents have had the ball for more than 50% of the match.
Scoring sequence that day the same, one-up (Pepple), level, winner (Naylor) late on. And, as with this game, at 1-0 Dobra had a great chance to make it 2-0, only for Notts to level seconds later. Not sure our game plan should be let them have the ball, take the lead, miss one, let them level straight after, then score late on to win. But such wins always feel good!
Plenty of flag-kick action for Harrogate, decisive flag-kick action from Chesterfield. Liam Mandeville off the bench, left-wing corner and as the ball moved towards the danger zone, you just had the time to call out Cheyenne Armani Keanu Roma Dunkley as the on-a-plate-on-yer-head sort of delivery was bulleted home by the captain. Another Mandy assist, two already this term, and an eighth different scorer of the season.
Crawley creep into town next weekend having not made a great start to the season following relegation last term. Scott Lindsay’s side have a single point, earned against MKD, so they are certainly capable of mixing it. But defeats against Grimsby Town, Newport County, Crewe Alexandra and, on Saturday, at home to Tranmere Rovers mean that only Shrewsbury Town and Cheltenham Town are below them in the early days table.
A couple of familiar names on their roster; Kabongo Tshimanga scored in the 3-1 Carabao Cup defeat at Swansea City whilst the man who’s not keen on heading the ball, Reece Brown, joined in the summer after a full season without a club. Mr Darcy played for Crawley Town in their successful 2023/24 season, scoring in the incredible 8-1 aggregate win over MKD in the play-off semi-final and also appearing in the Wembley final win over Crewe Alexandra.
So, 12 points from a possible 15, level with Crewe, who host Swindon Town next weekend. A steady if unspectacular start to the season but, take the two dodgy penalty concessions away, just four goals conceded in five EFL2 games, four points better off than after five games last season, scorers all over the park, Berry and Tanton on the verge of full fitness. What’s not to like?
Phil’s Positive: First four wins from opening five League fixtures since PC led the team to the 2013/14 L2 championship.
Next Match: A week to wait, Crawley Town roll into town on Saturday, August 30, 3pm kick-off. All of the build-up on 1866 Sport from 2 o’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. To hear post-match reaction from Danny Webb, scorers Ronan Darcy and Chey Dunkley, plus Matt Dibley-Dias and Lewis Gordon, look out for the Harrogate Town edition of After the Whistle via the club website or your podcast provider.
Chesterfield (4-2-3-1 to start): Hemming; Daley-Campbell, Dunkley, McFadzean, Gordon; Dibley-Dias (Fleck 63), Stirk (Naylor 83); Duffy (Markanday 63), Darcy (Mandeville 74), Dobra; Bonis (Grigg 74). Unused Subs: Boot, Lewis.
Goals: Darcy 6, Dunkley 82 (Chesterfield), Duke-McKenna 50 (Harrogate)
Referee: Steven Copeland
Bookings: Dibley-Dias (Chesterfield)
Attendance: 3,276 (1,050 from Chesterfield)
1866 Sport Banner Jones Man of the Match: Matt Dibley-Dias (chosen by Josh Marsh)
