Tooley’s Take

SpireitesTV Commentator Phil Tooley takes a look at the game and its context.

Oldham Athletic 1-2 Chesterfield

League Two Match #6

Hands and feet played a major part in Spireites remaining unbeaten at Boundary Park in five matches, Town’s best ever run at the ground dubbed Ice Station Zebra.

Full-back Gus Scott-Morris handled Louie Marsh’s shot, penalty, Ryan Boot’s boots denied both Calum Kavanagh and ex-Chesterfield man Kane Drummond whilst another former Spireite, Mike Fondop, had a box-edge blast ruled out for controlling the ball with his left hand, a bang-on spot by referee Matt Corlett, who I’m sure you remember last season spotted now Oldham man Ollie Norburn despatching Armando Dobra’s footwear over the touchline at Meadow Lane!

But, for me, the best bit of limb extremity play came soon after Stoke City loanee Favour Fawunmi had registered his first ever senior goal, a far-post header from Jamie Robson’s cross to level the game up. Solid footwork from Jack Simpson set Josh Koroma on a rapid left-wing run; the Sierra Leone international cut inside, calmly weighed up his options, before dinking a delicate and delightful outside of his right foot tee-up for Dilan Markanday to chest down and hit home from close range. I could watch that goal time and again.

That Koroma calmness though was nothing compared to that demonstrated by Lee Bonis. Spot-kick awarded by the ref, as he did at Wembley a couple of years ago, and despite another penalty against Notts County being fairly fresh in the mind of the Northern Irishman, he had the bottle to take another. Hit to the keeper’s right, saved, but unfazed, the striker guided the rebound in to put Paul Cook’s side ahead.

That set club historian Stuart Basson on a mission, and he notes that at Christmas 1987, Kevin Arnott’s spot-kick was saved by The Man in the Mask Fred Barber (look it up if you’ve no idea!) and Dave Waller popped in the rebound, meaning you have to go back to October 1984 to find the last Spireite to covert his own saved penalty on the rebound. Steve Kendal was the man that day, ironically straight after his drinking buddy Bob Newton had taken the initial spot-kick, it was saved, but a retake ordered and Newt was subsequently replaced by Kendo for the second try! That game finished 5-1 to Chesterfield, which was also the score at half-time.

After taking the lead with only 18 minutes played, the visitors always looked the most likely to win, and their bounce-back after conceding was extremely satisfying. All of the vital statistics were in Chesterfield’s favour; most possession, most shots, most corners, most crosses, better passing accuracy, but most important, most goals on the scoreboard.

My commentary colleague, former player Phil Picken, had a choice of Man of the Match candidates, always a good thing. He chose George McEachran, who along with Ryan Stirk bossed a busy midfield. He could have easily selected Remeao Hutton, who kept Drummond quiet, attacked and crossed frequently and won plenty of tackles, or Koroma, with his driving runs and willingness to shoot as well as his beautifully delivered assist, or Markanday for his goal and his many mazy dribbles, or Kyle McFadzean for his marking of Fondop, or the man Danny Webb ran on to congratulate at the final whistle, keeper Boot, just what is needed in any match, particularly a tough away contest at a team whose previous home games had ended in 3-0 and 2-0 victories.

In this division that the top half of the table is separated by only four points, Spireites are now third in the ‘shots on target’ column, one behind Saturday morning leaders Bristol Rovers but eight behind clear shot leaders and next weekend’s opponents York City, who are incidentally bottom of the league for fouls committed (we’re fifth bottom, Accrington are the worst offenders), so it looks like it will be an open game as Chesterfield seek that elusive first home win of the season. After the 1-0 at Salford City, should we move to Greater Manchester?

In between times, it’s Vertu Trophy action on Tuesday; note the 7pm kick-off, with the Manchester City U21s in town (again), a 2-2 draw in 2017 and a 1-1 draw in 2024, games which saw current Leeds United man Lukas Nmecha, a full German international, plus now at Rochdale Ed Francis score in the 2-2, whilst Norwich City’s Jacob Wright was City’s scorer last time in a game that also featured Nico O’Reilly and Will Dickson as well as a man currently playing regularly in the Bundesliga for Cologne, Jahmai Simpson-Pusey, so why not pop along to see some stars of the future?

A solid show at Boundary Park, a real team effort. It’s still early days in the season but the team is unbeaten in three, which so easily could have been three wins, but there are plenty of green shoots in there, as well as plenty of creases to iron out and the next couple of weeks, which include third placed York and fourth placed Cheltenham, will help to shape individual and collective thoughts. I can’t wait!

Phil’s Positive: Proper away game, solid team performance.

Chesterfield (4–2–3-1 to start): Boot; Hutton (Eccleston 80), McFadzean, Simpson, Gordon; Stirk (Naylor 61), McEachran (Dyer 80); Markanday, Marsh (Mandeville 70), Koroma (Randall 80); Bonis. Subs (not used); Pond, Bryden.