If statistics won football matches, the Spireites would have returned home with three points after dominating the game in terms of possession, shots, attempts, passes, tackles won and successful final third passes. Instead, they were edge out 2-1 by a determined Cheltenham Town team that worked their socks off, scored two clinical goals but were second best to the Spireites in terms of football played.
The Spireites arrived at Whaddon Road just one point adrift of the hosts who started the game in fifth place. Both teams are unbeaten in six games and, in midweek, both sides picked up two points in the Jersey Mike’s trophy via penalty shoot-out wins.
Paul Cook made just one change to the side he fielded in the last EFL fixture against York City. Josh Koroma missed out due to international duty with Sierra Leone and Joel Randall slotted into his place to claim his first League start.
The rolling slopes of the Cotswold hills set a perfect scene from the main stand and the weather was ideal for an inevitably keen contest. The Spireites kicked off defending the end that housed their travelling fans; they soon got the ball forward via a long kick from Ryan Boot.
They stepped up the pressure with great moves that first involved Louie Marsh, Joel Randall, Remeao Hutton and Dilan Markanday. That move broke down but soon Lewis Gordon and George McEachran combined well before Hutton failed to make the most of his possession on the right wing.
Cheltenham’s first move of note came in the eighth minute when Jake Evans broke well down the right and crossed from the edge of the area but Jordan Shipley blasted over.
Moments later Dilan Markanday made a strong run down the right but was fouled by Pierce Sweeney who picked up the game’s first yellow card.
Against the run of play, in the 17th minute, the Robins went ahead in a breakaway move; Ryan Broom provided the ammunition for Charlie McCann to weave his way into a scoring position and hit a strong diagonal ball into Boot’s left corner.
The Spireites almost levelled when Marsh hit inches wide of Stanway’s left upright after Ryan Stirk and Joel Randall had created the opening.
It was real end-to-end stuff as Jake Evans burst through and hit first time, only to be denied by an alert save from Boot who had no option but to concede a corner on the right.
And back at the other end, Lee Bonis clattered the woodwork with a powerful hit and moments later Marsh had his low-down effort saved well by Stanway.
With eight minutes to the break the home team doubled their lead. Jonathan Tomlinson headed the ball into the path of Andreas Weimann who fired firmly beyond Boot.
It looked like the Spireites had pulled a goal back in the 44th minute when Markanday provided a peach of a cross for Bonis to headed towards goal; somehow Stanway palmed the ball away when it looked, to most, that he’d done enough.
There was just one additional minute which wasn’t enough time for the Spireites to pull back a goal that their dominant display had deserved.
The Spireites started the second half where they left off: relentless pressure and pulled a goal back in the 50th minute. Hutton and Randall linked well to feed Marsh who hit home from 12 yards.
Next it was Hutton and Markanday working together that produced a finger-tip save and subsequently a corner.
In the 58th minute George McEachran almost caught Stanway off guard; his rocket shot from 25 yards produced a stunning tip-over from Stanway.
Three minutes later Ryan Stirk hit narrowly over from just outside the area.
Two more near misses after Hutton had his on-target blast saved well and then Bonis saw the ball hit him and roll inches wide of Stanway’s left upright.
With 20 minutes remaining Paul Cook made his first changes as Fraser Bryden took over from Bonis.
Cheltenham were doing their best to slow down the game with tactical injuries and slow substitutions, maybe prompting further tweaks for the Spireites as three more changes took place in the 78th minute. On came Liam Mandeville, Kiano Dyer and Tom Pearce to replace Joel Randall, George McEachran and Lewis Gordon.
On 84 minutes Markanday put through the perfect ball for Mandeville who was just inches away from a leveller with his so-close hit across goal.
Seven minutes added time was awarded but Cheltenham seemed to have found an extra energy to combat the wave of blue shirts.
Chesterfield: Boot, McFadzean, Simpson, Stirk, Bonis (Bryden 70), Marsh (Naylor 87), Gordon (Pearce 78), McEachran (Dyer 78), Markanday, Hutton. Randall (Mandeville 78)
Substitutes not used: Duffy, Eccleston
Referee: Dean Whitestone
Attendance: 4402
