Phil Tooley takes a look at the game and its context
Milton Keynes Dons 2 Chesterfield 2
League Two Game #25
A shirtless gyrating Grigg celebrating the last-gasp equaliser against his former club is one of the memorable moments of the season to date. Ask any of the 1,000+ travelling Spireites at half-time if they expected to nick a point, and few would have thought that was likely.
But the second half showed what can be achieved by determination and grit as the section’s top scorers were bossed around and Paul Cook’s men bagged two, the first two-goal concession match at home for MKD in three months, and the last one, they beat Gillingham 3-2 after being three-up.
Chesterfield took everyone by surprise by announcing three new loan signings just as the team sheets were unveiled, all three started and all three played major parts in the performance. Sub Freddie Ladapo, who came off the bench, made it four debuts on a day that the back four that completed the game was Sam Curtis – Tom Naylor – Sil Swinkels – Dylan Duffy; you’d have got good odds on that defensive line a few days ago!
I was surprised to see Janoi Donacien start, at the end of the Oldham game he looked unlikely to be ready for the trip to Buckinghamshire, and a few minutes before MK Dons took the lead, he seemed to be struggling. His jump to cut out the first ball of the ultimately successful attack was clearly made without any spring in his step and as the ball switched to the other flank, he was clearly uncomfortable and unable to put in a realistic challenge to prevent Callum Paterson from converting Aaron Nemane’s cross. He was replaced by Tom Naylor straight after that. A risky initial selection, sadly didn’t come off.
As the first half drew to a close, there was enough from the new trio to feel they’ll improve the squad. Big left-sided centre-back Swinkels looked assured, winning his battles, passing accurately and central midfielder Sammy Braybrooke oozed confidence and class alongside Ryan Stirk. Right-back Curtis hasn’t played as much football this season as the other two, but he settled in, showed a willingness to run with the ball and a steeliness in his defensive work.
Chesterfield conjured up some quick breaks in the opening 40 minutes, but selected the wrong final ball, or hit wayward shots from good positions, whilst the home side got on with things in an unremarkable manner, but with a little more assurance than the visitors.
Milton Keynes doubled their lead with a bit of magic, a long range power-blaster from Rushian Hepburn-Murphy, who scored in the 1-1 draw at the SMH, so at the break, things looked bleak.
Duffy on for the second half for the yellow-carded Adam Lewis; not sure how Paul Warne’s side trooped off at the interval with more goals than yellow cards as there were a fair few ale-house challenges by the men in white, and there were more rustic tackles after the restart, but three more cards were waved at home players, though for a couple, it could easily have been their second such punishment.
Cook had changed the way his team played from the Oldham game, the build-up was more patient and it did incur the wrath of some of the visiting supporters. Gradually the control of the game moved undeniably to Chesterfield, which was very much linked with the reawakening of Liam Mandeville, captain for the first time in a league game, who’d had a quiet opening 45, but returned to being properly Duracell-ed up and omnipresent, and more importantly, he returned to being the assist-king.
Free-kick from the right and our longest serving player delivered to the far-post where Curtis text-booked his header, downwards and in. No goals from full-backs in 115 league games, a run ended by Lewis at Oldham and it’s now two in two, a first ever in the EFL or the UK for the Blades loanee, and a first senior goal since scoring against Sligo Rovers for St Patrick’s Athletic in August 2023. Historian Stuart Basson messaged me to say it was the first debut goal from a full-back since Arthur Albiston against Gillingham in 1990.
Chances at both ends at 2-1 as the game stretched, Zach Hemming had to make one great save from Jon Mellish from a counter-attack as the Dons sat back and the Spireites pushed Grigg and Ladapo up.
Deep into stoppage time, a set-play squeezed just wide of the post, corner earned, could have been a goal. Mandeville in from the left and there was Grigg to head onto the underside of the bar and in to start off his celebrations and the celebrations of travelling fans at the other end of the vast arena that is stadium:MK, complete with over 23,000 empty seats. Late but deserved. Stoppage time has been Town’s friend in 2026, first a penalty save at Ice Station Zebra and now a goal in the big bowl.
Despite the joy Cookie, yellow-carded earlier, must have upset someone as a red was brandished to the gaffer, but he only missed a further minute, maybe less, before Mr Miller ended the contest that saw the Spireites back in the play-off zone, albeit helped by the weather beating all of the 3pm fixtures in L2.
Crawley Town and Accrington Stanley had both been pegged back having had two-goal leads this season, both those games were at home; the last away game where a two-goal deficit was clawed back was at Ice Station Zebra in March 2024 when Oldham’s 2-0 lead, opened up midway through the first half, was followed by goals from Bailey Hobson and a Joe Quigley penalty to finish the game at 2-2. A week later, Chesterfield were crowned NL champions!
Colchester United next. They beat MKD last time out thanks to a stoppage time penalty from Jack Payne, who hit a hat-trick in our nadir match which was the start of their decent run, so whilst the Chesterfield team looks set to be very different to that day, there’s bound to be a whiff of revenge in the air ahead of kick-off.
A DD start to 2026 may not be the most remarkable opening of a new year, but it’s marked an uplift in spirit coupled with a strengthening of the squad; follow that up with a home double against Colchester and surprise leaders Bromley, six wins on the bounce, and life will look good. An advance notice for Bromley, in their last win, 2-1 over Newport County, Michael Cheek was subbed at half-time with what Andy Woodman indicated was an injury that could keep him out for ‘a few weeks’.
Two hard-earned points on the road, another different scorer in the league, that’s 15 now, another new 1866 Sport MOTM, Sil Swinkels, means that 17 players have earned that accolade in the 25 games played, it’s clearly a squad game and, two games into 2026, the squad is stronger than in was at the end of 2025, and it’ll not be long before Dobra and Markanday are back. There are only positive thoughts in my mind right now.
Phil’s Positive: Spirit and fight, seemingly down and out, but much improved after the break and another major 90+4 moment shows that this Spireites squad will battle on right until the final whistle. And the new guys looked great!
Next Match: Back to Saturday’s at 3pm, with Colchester United at the SMH Group Stadium on Saturday, January 10. Listen to the build-up and After the Whistle on 1866 Sport from 2pm with commentary being on the subscription platform. Hear from Gary Roberts, skipper on the day Liam Mandeville, plus debut-makers Sil Swinkels and scorer Sam Curtis in the After the Whistle podcast from after the MKD game.
Chesterfield (4-2-3-1 to start): Hemming; Curtis (Daley-Campbell 76), Donacien (Naylor 31), Swinkels, Lewis (Duffy 46); Braybrooke, Stirk; Mandeville, Berry, Darcy (Ladapo 66); Bonis (Grigg 66). Subs (not used); Boot, Fleck.
Goals: Curtis 67, Grigg 90+4 (Chesterfield), Paterson 29, Hepburn-Murphy 44 (MKD)
Referee: Andrew Miller
Bookings: Lewis, Grigg (Chesterfield), Nemane, Sanders, Mellish, Kelly (MKD)
Chesterfield Coach Paddy Byrne picked up a yellow card, as did manager Paul Cook who was, after the equaliser, shown a red card.
Attendance: 7,019 (1,029 from Chesterfield)
1866 Sport Banner Jones Man of the Match: Sil Swinkels (chosen by Josh Marsh)
