Tooley’s Take

Phil Tooley takes a look at the game and its context

Doncaster Rovers 0 Chesterfield 3

League Two Game #8

That was a blast! Two teams that have both stood at the head of the bookies’ list of EFL2 favourites this season (Gillingham favourites now, Donny second, Town third) going head to head, Chesterfield with Doncaster, and Doncaster with the referee. The home side didn’t come out on top in either of their battles.

Opening ten in our Rovers return (don’t expect any Corrie puns, I don’t watch it) saw Doncaster on the front foot, but unlike the trip to Port Vale, Chesterfield looked up for the fight and they repelled the early raids and from around the 20-minute mark, Paul Cook’s side began to take charge and look the most likely team to score.

With the three incoming changes Madden, Mandeville and Araujo all starting their first EFL games of the season, plus fist-pumper in chief Naylor back in the engine room, the Spireites began to purr with the fluid three attacking midfielders supporting and being supported by lone-striker Paddy, Cook’s side began to look like a Paul Cook side. Solid pressing, great movement on and off the ball and quick passing. Lovely stuff.

The lead was well deserved and the execution of it was perfect. Fantastic delivery from Mandeville, unstoppable stooping header from Dunkley (thought he was meant to be in the side to defend).

Just as key a moment in the first half was the booking of Madden for kicking the ball into the net after the whistle had blown. Not sure every Doncaster player noticed that!

Half-time, 3,027 cheers, several thousand boos, predominantly aimed at Mr Bell who, as the players headed towards the dressing room, booked Rovers’ Luke Molyneux for what was likely to be some ill-advised chelp. Whilst not in the same league as Salford City’s Curtis Tilt’s two yellows in the blink of an eye, Molyneux was caught offside just over three minutes after the restart and promptly, post-whistle, booted the ball in the net. Result clear. In their red and white hoops, finding out where Wally was really very easy, he was in the dressing room (inspired by Ellie Yates).

Having changed shape at half-time and straight away lost his key raider, Donny manager Grant McCann must have been pretty frustrated, and his team certainly looked frustrated as their play became increasingly ragged and Chesterfield did well to keep their shape and keep their heads, which was made a heap easier when the Bell tolled for sub Ephraim Yeboah, just three minutes on the park, when the ball hit his hand enabling him to clear it from the box. Not deliberate from my view, but arm out and the touch clearly helped his cause. Penalty. Madden had been nominated as spot-king and he duly obliged, registering his first Chesterfield goal.

Rovers were going for a record 12 straight home wins in League football, their last home defeat in L2 being in January against Stockport County, who won 5-1 and Madden scored two that day.

Just six minutes after that second goal, the under-fire (by home fans) officials rubbed in the scoreline in a very subtle way. Fourth Official the well-travelled Thomas Cooke held up his electronic board, on it were numbers 22 and 33, the squad numbers of scorers Dunkley and Madden. Brought a smile to my face. In reality, it meant Kelly came on for Close, but it was a fun moment. It also had me desperately hoping Colclough would come on and score so we could have an 11 times table of scorers. Berry blew that dream!

I admit I didn’t see (and my colleagues Ellie & Josh didn’t either) what ex-Spireite Tom Anderson did or didn’t do to Chey, neither did the referee, but presumably the liner or fourth official did, and another red, so nine men for the end game. Perhaps big Tom’s frustration came from Ryan Boot’s outrageous save to deny Olowu as the red came in the aftermath of the corner that followed that brilliant work from Chesterfield’s keeper.

Credit to McCann between the two reds, he had two and then three strikers trying to get back into the game, it made for a really open game, but the visitors were always in the box-seat.

Playing against nine really didn’t take anything away from the brilliance of Berry for his last-gasp goal. A little one-two with DJ and a fabulous run through the middle to send the away fans into ecstasy, a proper Goal of the Season contender.

Nine without a win against Donny, a great win against nine. Paddy scoring in their previous EFL home loss and again in this, making it a neat and tidy bookend sort of game. Surely the first book you’d put in their being Ernest Hemmingway’s classic For Whom the (Mr) Bell Tolls, and you’d probably be listening to The Wild Rover by The Dubliners while you did that, in deference for Dubliner Madden’s part in Rovers’ run.

Bromley. Played out a 1-1 home draw with MKD on Saturday, Michael Cheek scoring from a Corey Whitely assist, seems nothing changes at Hayes Lane (except for the pitch). Kit man Jason’s best mate Omar Sowunmi has returned after a season at Sutton United to play alongside ex-Spireites Grant Smith, Marcus Dinanga and Levi Amantchi and their latest signing, ex-Arsenal and England defender Carl Jenkinson.

After six points from their opening two league fixtures, Andy Woodman’s side have picked up just two more from their next six games, so it looks to be a good time to try and pick up only our second ever win on Bromley’s own park.

The Gaffer said ahead of Doncaster that the three games in eight days would see his squad fully utilised, so with Devan Tanton picking up a knock and Harvey Araujo acquiring some stitches, chances are the back four will change, whilst there’s plenty of scope in the rest of the team for rotation.

Not too often I’ve been over-keen to go to Bromley, but can’t wait for Tuesday!

Phil’s Positive: Chesterfield’s discipline in a game where it could easily have been lost, plus a bit of a wow factor when the team sheet came out and you could see the strength of Town’s bench.

Next Match: Bromley (A), Tuesday, October 1, EFL2, KO 7.45pm. Full commentary for subscribers on the new commentary platform (find details on Chesterfield FC website). Build-up from 7pm, half-time and post-match remains on the 1866 Sport App. The game will also be shown on Sky TV.

Chesterfield (4-2-3-1 to start): Boot; Tanton (Banks 46), Dunkley, Araujo (Grimes 73), Gordon; Oldaker, Naylor; Markanday (Berry 73), Mandeville, Dobra (Colclough 73); Madden (Grigg 61). Subs (not used): Thompson, Metcalfe.