Phil Tooley takes a look at the game and its context
Chesterfield 1 Harrogate Town 1
League Two Game #31
Matchday was Valentine’s Day; just like the opening words to the theme from the classic film starring Ryan O’Neal and Ali MacGraw, Love Story, ‘Where do I begin to tell the story….’
If you glance up the page, you’ll see the word ‘context’ and that’s the only perspective I feel I can begin to tell the story, which is far from the story of a pretty forgetful match, it’s a much wider situation as a result of the vibes in the stadium on the final whistle.
Game 31 this season, a disappointing home draw with Harrogate Town leaves Spireites in eighth place.
P31 W12 D13 L6 F50 A52 Pts 49
One point off the play-off zone. Nine points off the automatic promotion zone.
Lee Bonis booked on 57 then again, whilst not even on the park, two minutes later. Ten men, one-up at the time. The visitors go gung-ho with the extra man, four up front, and level on 84, not defending of the highest order. Final whistle, plenty of negativity around the stadium, post-match, Paul Cook not happy after reporting some of the players were abused by supporters.
Game 31 last season, a disappointing 1-0 defeat at Swindon Town leaves Spireites in position #13.
P31 W11 D9 L11 F49 A38 Pts 42
Ten points off the play-off zone. Fifteen points off the automatic promotion zone.
Post-match, no interviews from the Chesterfield changing rooms as Paul Cook raced up to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford to find out the extent of the sickening injury to Tyrone Williams, who had to have multiple operations on a major neck injury. That’s real catastrophe.
Four years the gaffer has been back. 2022 Play-off semi-finals. 2023 Play-off Final. 2024 National League champions. 2025 L2 Play-offs. 2025 at this stage, position #13 looking like missing out on those play-offs. 2026 position #8 with seven more points than the corresponding point a year ago. I call that steady, sustainable progress.
I’m sure much of the booing at the end was general frustration or aimed at the ref, who for me his only real fault was not being tougher in the first half with a few yellow-card looking challenges that went unpunished, whilst any abuse aimed at players will have been minimal, but nevertheless not something that fosters the feeling of togetherness.
Last promotion for Chesterfield? Led by Paul Cook. Last promotion before that? Led by Paul Cook in 2014. Between those two successful seasons we’ve seen Dean Saunders, Danny Wilson, Gary Caldwell, Jack Lester, Martin Allen, John Sheridan, John Pemberton and James Rowe in charge. Combined performances of those guys, plus the caretakers in that time, in league format games? P290 with a 33% win rate.
Paul Cook in the last four years? P187 with a 49% win rate. Paul Cook first spell? P124 with a 45% win rate. Combined P311 with a 47.5% win rate. Last Town manager in the Football League with a win rate to compare? Norman Bullock, 20 wins from 42 games either side of the Second World War. That’s a long, long time ago when my dad was a teenager watching at Saltergate.
As I said at the start. Context. Be careful what you wish for.
The team should have steamrollered Harrogate before the red card, hitting the bar plus a couple of fine saves. Harrogate’s switched at the break to a 4-1-4-1 and that caused a few minor issues, though there was precious little danger. Bonis’s first card, great back tracking from a break, worse first-half fouls went unpunished, but I’m not going to say the card wasn’t valid, you can’t argue too much against it.
Second yellow? It’s the old ‘don’t give the ref a decision to make’ and the scorer, instinctively whilst off the park, flicked the ball away. Letter of the law, card, ref initially didn’t seem to realise it was a second one for the Northern Irishman, thought we may be in for a Graham Poll moment, alas not, really disappointing.
Harrogate gradually went more attacking with, on 74, a striker on for the left-back indicating a final flurry, which led to Wigan loanee Tobias Brenan getting his first ever senior goal. Spireites defenders will not want to watch the replay, and neither will Lee Bonis as, with 11 men, there was only one outcome and that would have been a home win and a play-off place.
By the way, what a ball from Liam ‘the Heartbeat’ Mandeville and a fantastic stretch from Bonis for the goal.
Gillingham on Tuesday, three wins and three losses in six for Gareth Ainsworth’s team. Must win for Town, more for stadium sanity than the available points, let’s not let things get toxic. Whilst acknowledging the view that ‘we’re better than eighth’ please respect the progress achieved. We are better than eighth, but the players need to prove that, beyond doubt, in the next few weeks.
And I still think they will.
Phil’s Positive: Paul Cook is Chesterfield’s manager.
Next Match: Tuesday, February 17, Gillingham make the long journey north for a 7.45 kick-off. Listen to the build-up on 1866 Sport from 7pm with commentary being on the subscription platform, then back on the App for After the Whistle.
Chesterfield (4-2-3-1 to start): Hemming; Curtis, Dunkley, Swinkels, Pearce (Stirk 70); Naylor (Dobra 85), Braybrooke; Markanday (Ladapo 70), Mandeville (Donacien 70), Duffy; Bonis. Subs (not used); McFadzean, Berry, Grigg.
Goals: Bonis 12 (Chesterfield), Brenan 84 (Harrogate)
Referee: Aaron Farmer
Bookings: Pearce (Chesterfield), Brennan, Muldoon (Harrogate)
Red Card: Bonis (Chesterfield) for two yellows on 57 & 59 minutes
Attendance: 7,808 (258 from Harrogate)
1866 Sport Man of the Match: Sam Curtis (chosen by Jamie Hewitt)
