Phil Tooley takes a look at the game and its context
Chesterfield 1 Oldham Athletic 1
League Two Game #24
Well, 2026 started off with a bit of luck on our side for a change. A super shot from Adam Lewis from a great tee-up from James Berry, who revelled in the #10 role. Berry had received from Tom Naylor who’d intercepted a poor defensive clearance from Oldham, so a bit of luck there. Lewis became L2 scorer #14 for Town this season against the team with the division’s best defence.
Around 12 minutes later, a ball in from the right to former Spireites favourite Joe Quigley was perfect for him, he miscued from an open goal position, a bit more luck. Remember Joe at Wrexham a while back. Similar. Last-gasp corner from Latics at 1-1, falls for Manny Monthé, a four-time promotion winner, a chance that made Jamie Grimes’s against Cambridge United look difficult, and he headed over from inches. Two on a plate moments for Oldham, two howlers.
The home side had another late great chance to win it. Kane Drummond, early second half sub against the side that plucked him from the Northern Premier League, had been a slippery so and so and had levelled the contest with a lovely finish from Quigley’s flick-on. He squirmed through a rearguard that had been reshuffled more times than a pack of cards in a busy casino and was clipped by Kyle McFadzean, penalty, second yellow for the defender, well into stoppage time, game seemingly set for a home win.
Up steps the experienced Joe Garner, scorer of 20 penalties in his pro-career, including one for Preston North End against Chesterfield in Paul Cook’s last match of his first Spireites spell, the League One Play-off second leg at Deepdale. He hits it down the middle, Zach Hemming dives right, but in Archie Mair Wembley Play-off shoot-out style, wiggles his foot well to save, concede a corner and earn a point. He also earned the plaudits from Gary Roberts, who played in that Preston game, calling him the best keeper in League Two.
Zach had faced five penalties this season before without success (BTW, Town have conceded the most pens in L2 this season), his last save from the spot was in December 2023, 90+6 on the clock, for St Mirren at St Johnstone in the SPL, 0-0 at the time, Chris Kane takes, saved, but the shooter popped in the rebound, game lost. Bad luck.
August 2023, at home to Dundee, who featured ex-Spireite Trevor Carson in their goal, first half, Zach’s team 1-0 up, Dundee awarded a penalty, Zach Robinson takes it, saved, no rebounds, St Mirren go on to win 2-1. Zach saves from Zach, must be unique!
The game as a whole was full-blooded, a great contest that was substantially more grit and graft than silk and skill. Both sides made plenty of mistakes, all the stats were pretty even and right to the end, either side could have won it. In a perverse sort of way, probably due to our abject record at Oldham, I really enjoyed the game and its outcome.
But for Paul Cook’s side, the point came at a cost. McFadzean suspended for the visit to his former club MKD; with Dunkley and Grimes likely to be out, and with Janoi Donacien limping off, it looks like Tom Naylor will have to step back to centre half, a real pity after his excellent recent showings in the engine room. New signing Malik Owolabi-Belewu isn’t match-ready yet, so will the manager have to raid the academy or search for a new face or be forced to play another person out of position? Anxious wait.
It wouldn’t be the easiest fixture at the best of times. MK sit two places and one point ahead of Spireites – doesn’t every game feel like that this season ? – and have won two, drawn two and lost two of their last six, so nothing to go on there. Key striker Mendez-Laing is ruled out through injury, whilst Laurence Maguire also picked up an injury just before Christmas, but ex-Owl Callum Paterson has been scoring reasonably frequently. With the likes of Aaron Nemane, Dan Crowley, Connor Lemonheigh-Evans and Alex Gilby on Paul Warne’s roster, they still look to have one of the strongest squads in the section.
The Spireites started 2025 with a home defeat to MKD with a threadbare squad, so a draw at Oldham beats that. Get some reward from Stadium:MK and the year will have started in a half decent manner.
Phil’s Positive: A draw at Ice Station Zebra is always a good return. That’s a run of four unbeaten there in points offering games (three draws, one win), our best ever run since first going there in 1907. A return of six points from four visits; the previous 13 games there only spawned six points and starting from that first visit 119 years ago, it took 17 games to notch up six points! Boundary Park, historically, has been called Bound-to-lose Park. Great show of support as well, 1,440 was magnificent.
Next Match: Not long until we’re are at MK Dons, Sunday, January 4 with a 12 noon kick-off. Listen to the build-up and After the Whistle on 1866 Sport from 11.30am with commentary being on the subscription platform. Hear from Gary Roberts, penalty saver Zach Hemming and scorer Adam Lewis in the After the Whistle podcast from after the Oldham Athletic game.
Chesterfield (4-2-3-1 to start): Hemming; Daley-Campbell, McFadzean, Donacien (Fleck 80), Lewis (Duffy 80); Naylor, Stirk (Butterfield 89); Mandeville, Berry, Darcy (Dickson 80); Grigg (Bonis 75). Subs (not used); Boot, Tanton.
Goals: Lewis 21 (Chesterfield), Drummond 59 (Oldham)
Referee: Sam Allison
Bookings: Ogle, Robson, Drummond (Oldham)
Red Card: McFadzean, two yellows, second on 90+3 (Chesterfield)
Attendance: 8,853 (1,440 from Chesterfield)
1866 Sport Banner Jones Man of the Match: Tom Naylor (chosen by Josh Marsh)
