Tooley’s Take

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

Chesterfield 5-3 Manchester City U21

Football League Trophy, Northern Group D, Match #1

Well, if you were at the game, watching or listening to it and you didn’t enjoy it, football clearly isn’t your bag! It was a wonderfully entertaining evening watching some incredibly skilful players giving their all and giving the crowd what they wanted to see; goals, most of them crafted beautifully, some of them probably not to the liking of defence coaches, accurate passing, technical ability all over the park, all in the knowledge that we were watching, amongst the 32 players that participated, some future household names.

Looking back to our first game with City U21s in 2017 (2-2 draw), their squad that day included players who are currently appearing in the Premier League, Serie A plus the Super Leagues of Greece and Turkey, the MLS, three are in the League of Ireland and a couple are playing this season’s League Two. In the 2024 game (1-1 draw), City included England’s Nico O’Reilly, Bundesliga player Jahmai Simpson-Pusey, still atCity but currently on loan at Burnley, Max Alleyne, at Owls, Jaden Heskey, at West Ham, Divine Mukasaand at Exeter City, Lakyle Samuel. Norwich City’s Jacob Wright played, as did Michael Okeke, who’s now playing top-flight football in Hungary, Walsall’s Tai Sodje, Hertha Berlin’s Farid Alfa-Ruprecht, Justin Oboavwodou has recently made his Juventus debut and, of course, our own Will Dickson played in that contest. So thinking along the lines ‘but they’re only kids’ doesn’t tell half the story.

Paul Cook’s side included James Sissons, Junior Eccleston and Kiano Dyer, all only 19, plus 20 year-olds Rafiq Lamptey and Danny Anisjko, whilst half-time sub Alex Whitney is only 18, so plenty of youthful exuberance in Royal Blue.

The goals: Joel Randall and Fraser Bryden’s first-half efforts, both terrific team moves, perfect passing, excellent movement, crisp finishing. Proper goals. City’s first, scored by 16 year-old Xavier Parker, who bagged a brace at Field Mill in their 4-1 win there last month, was of the ilk of Chesterfield’s first half efforts, another well-crafted score.

City’s second equaliser came about after a rare stray pass (Town’s passing accuracy on the night was an incredible 87.4%) which led to a decent Sissons save and he made another from the recycled ball in, but Teddie Lamb was quick to steer home the rebound. The debut making keeper was pretty pleased when I told him after the game that he was the only full international on the park; he’s likely to miss next week’s Port Vale game assuming he’s called up by Malta.

Goals three and four were about instant impact. Louie Marsh, on at the break, delivered a fine corner for Chey Dunkley to head home, it was a bit man v boy on the marking of the 34 year-old, whilst straight off the bench Connor Cook glanced on Marsh’s free-kick to enable Eccleston to bundle the ball home for his first Chesterfield goal, matching Bryden’s earlier first in blue conversion.

Marsh started and finished the move for Chesterfield’s late fifth, sub Lewis Gordon with the assist, City will be very disappointed with the manner of that concession, but they hit straight back with a burst through the middle attack, completed by Jacob Wain.

What did we learn? Dyer and Lamptey are superb players, what a combination in the holding midfield roles, admittedly in a game of the type they are very used to, but wow, they were fantastic. Eccleston is more than ready for league games, just a matter of usurping the season’s early top-dog Remeao Hutton. Marsh and Randall can play, assist and score, Anisjko has plenty of tricks and Whitney has put his last game in this competition, the thumping at Crewe last season, well and truly to bed, whilst Sissons looks to have a future in the game.

Well done, and a gold-star to those who, on the final whistle, immediately thought of Town’s last 5-3 cup victory…….. December 2011, not many there, for the Derbyshire FA Senior Cup win over Heanor Town, a hat-trick from Scott Boden and a brace for Jordan Burrow, whilst in the same competition four years later, it was again 5-3 to the home side, on this occasion the game was played at Glossop North End, who got five to more than negate two from Manny Dieseruvwe plus a Byron Harrison effort. That was back in the day when New Zealand International Liam Graham played for us, but wasn’t properly registered, so he played under a false name. Just stop and think how much the club has come on since then!

Port Vale next Tuesday, again with a 7pm kick-off, in the Football League Trophy which hasn’t currently got a sponsor; Vertu’s deal has ended, but newspaper reports indicate that we could be playing in the Jersey Mike’s competition, as a USA based fast-food chain looks set to step in to the void.

In between, not cheese, but a huge game at home to York City on Saturday; I’ll be desperately trying to keep tabs on it from the Sondheim Theatre in London as I’m treating Sylvia to the Les Miserables matinee; the boys in blue best make sure there’s no miserable folk in the West End, so no post–Minstermen Take from me at the weekend.

Phil’s Positive: The game as a whole brought a smile to everyone’s face; that doesn’t always happen!

Chesterfield (4–2–3-1 to start): Sissons; Eccleston (Hutton 79), Pond, Dunkley, Pearce (Whitney 46); Lamptey, Dyer; Naylor (Cook 75), Randall (Marsh 46), Anisjko (Gordon 84); Bryden. Subs (not used): Markanday, Koroma.