Phil Tooley takes a look at the game and its context
Chesterfield 1 Salford City 1
League Two Game #3
What odds would you have got for Kelly N’Mai to score for Salford City? Pretty good I’d say, because at 2pm he was declared a non-runner, and at that time you’d have thought that if he’d scored, as the saying goes, you’d be a Dutchman.
Indeed the 20-year old from the Netherlands seemed to be consigned to the stands alongside another left-sider, Salford City co-owner Ryan Giggs, but then named sub Matty Lund pulled a fetlock and retired hurt during the pre-match warm-up, so Kelly had to nip onto the coach to find his boots. Bet they were nice ones, his middle name is Harmani.
Sadly, they were of the shooting variety, and on 86 minutes, the previously surplus to requirements water carrier became the Class of 92s’ mate Cantona, though his shot lacked the venom of a lunge at a Palace fan, but sadly a helpful dink off ‘Dunks’ diverted the ball in for an undeserved point.
Three home games so far, just four shots on target against Town. Three of them have ended up in the onion bag, you feel like you want to cry. Shows there’s been plenty of excellent defending, hints at a few bits of naivety to work on.
In this case, as Paul Cook hinted at, time ticking away, the Spireites win another corner, we’re one-up, why deliver it into the box? Of course, 2-0 would have ended the contest, but 1-0 would have won the points.
It’s that intangible ‘Game Management’ that we lacked, winding the clock down as it used to be called, time-wasting if the opposition do it. A move from the corner flag back to Ryan Boot would have been a bit of an anti-climax when you’re on top, fired up, numerically ahead on the scoreboard (what scoreboard?) as well as on headcount, but it would have prevented the City counter-attack that ultimately ended in us all trooping home feeling like we’ve lost. I’d trade a few boring bits for a few more points!
First half not unlike many last season. Keep the ball, play it about, not too many risks, but a solid 45 that made it clear who the dominant force was. The visitors clearly had a game plan, one chapter of which was to ensure Dilan Markanday was given zero space, one chapter which seemed to involve trying to wind-up Dobra. Both very valid, the former worked well, but this season, Armando looks to have shaken off the act first, think later approach. His growing maturity is a major positive this season. Keep it up.
We know that any PC side is going to be a strong second-half side, and that was played out in front of our very eyes, despite a few stray passes, a few wayward crosses and a few corners that Salford dealt with better than Crewe and some excellent play that saw City’s numbers rack up the yellows. Worth randomly noting at this point that City’s walk-on tune for their home matches is The Pogues’ ‘Dirty Old Town!’
We all thought it was Roy Orbison time (It’s Over) when James Berry drilled in from the left and angled his shot into the goal with just over 20 minutes to go. Not sure why City skipper Curtis Tilt was giving the ref some chelp, but he earned a yellow for his protestations before the game restarted, and from said restart, ball back to the captain, Will Grigg pressed, a coming together after the ball had been played forwards, and yellow card #2 seconds after the first. Never seen two so close in real life! On top versus ten. Nailed on.
There’d been some real spicy tackles, particularly on Dobra, that had helped to energise the home supporters, and the red card did just that again, and that energy seemed to spread onto the park as the players looked to want to go for the jugular at all costs, when a bit of midweek Man City calm may have been the best approach.
Short-handed and trailing, Karl Robinson went for broke, bringing on his final two subs, both forward thinking players, whilst one of the subbed players was the right-back, and that, combined with the need for a goal, led to Salford showing plenty of attacking intention. But the Spireites, rather than seek to control the ball in a calm environment, joined in the basketball mayhem and ultimately paid the price.
Best side against Swindon, drew, best side against Salford, drew, having led in both games against sides that never troubled Ryan Boot.
The dark arts of the National League have been consigned to the history books, hopefully for ever! That said, if you’ve been in the National League (like Salford) you know the score, and when you’re higher up the pyramid, you have better players and it looks like a better class of dark art!
Thankfully Gillingham, or to give them their full name, Top of the table Gillingham, have never been in the National League, and they are at home, and they are confident. All of the streets around Priestfield are resident-only areas, so you’re not allowed to park any sort of bus anywhere near there, which is just what every Spireite connection wants to see.
And if you’re still feeling a bit grumpy, just remember, before long the Spireites tin opener will be reinforced by Mandeville, Colclough and Madden. More cutting edges than the Swiss Army’s entire penknife collection. And still grumpy? Three wins and two draws in our last five trips to Gillingham.
Phil’s Positive: It all felt a bit flat on the final whistle, a mediocre day at the office, but Lewis Gordon stood out with a terrific personal performance, and nine times out of ten, Town would have won that game.
Next Match: Gillingham (A), Saturday, August 31, EFL2, KO 12.30pm. Full commentary for subscribers on the new commentary platform (find details on Chesterfield FC website). Build-up from noon, half-time and post-match remains on the 1866 Sport App. The game is on Sky TV.
Chesterfield (4-2-3-1 to start): Boot; Daley-Campbell, Naylor, Dunkley, Gordon; Banks, Oldaker; Markanday (Jacobs 77), Dobra, Berry (Hobson 83); Grigg (Quigley 83). Subs (not used): Williams, Horton, Akinola, Jessop.
Goals: Berry 69 (Chesterfield), N’Mai 86 (Salford)
Referee: Richie Watkins
Bookings: Naylor, Banks (Chesterfield), Garbutt, Fornah, Woodburn, Taylor, Austerfield (Salford)
Red Card: Tilt (two yellows, both in 70th minute)
Attendance: 8,334 (192 from Salford)
Banner Jones 1866 Sport Man of the Match: Lewis Gordon (chosen by Jamie Hewitt)
