Tooley’s Take

Phil Tooley takes a look at the game and its context  

Newport County 0 Chesterfield 3

League Two Game #12

A fantastic, cultured, passing football masterclass that ended up with a 3-0 away victory. Brilliant. Well, that’s the Doncaster Rovers match the other week summed up. No need to cut and paste those words for an equally brilliant, but a very different 3-0 away win in South Wales.

With just 40 seconds on the clock, Town led 1-0. Big boot up from Max and Paddy headed on. Easy for the centre-half or keeper to deal with. Dilan gambled with his run from deep and helped force an error, but which of the keeper or the centre back on the Rodney Parade grass was the biggest plonker? A comedy of errors and Markanday pulled the trigger to bag his fourth of the season. Great start and a bit of that balance of luck evened out.

Wind the clock on, Markanday picks up two, feeds sub Banks on both occasions, he drills in a couple of low balls from the right, knowing fellow replacement Grigg (it’s still surreal Grigg for Madden or vice versa) will be there, but both of his two-yard tap-ins were impossible. The first, he’s being wrestled by the defender, the keeper is at his feed, no chance of even a contact. GOAL. The second, a stretch back, the #9 stumbles, plenty of amber in the six, Will on his backside, back to goal, out of the game. GOAL.

They may not make the end of season Goal of the Season reel, but those finishes were brilliant, every bit as impressive as a 30-yard screamer or a technique laden overhead kick. I can’t think of any other Chesterfield player in my lifetime that would have bagged that particular brace other than the on-fireman. Five goals in four games at the rate of one every 36 minutes.

The relief when the first of Grigg’s goals went in was palpable. Newport were going for it. And they nearly got it. Really nearly. Ex-Solihull giant Kyle Hudlin, a surprise non-starter, was introduced along with Preston loanee Noah Mawene, a rapid left-sider. Newport went long and camped in Town territory. Hudlin got one to feet in Grigg territory. Miss. He got one on his head. Miss. Mawene’s pace was a major outlet and looked likely to be the main supply chain, but he pulled up lame just eight minutes after his introduction. Had he remained on the park, things could well have been very different. Fingers crossed for a quick recovery for the quick midfielder, he looked mustard.

County corner, Thompson catches but stumbled back, whacked the post, ball in hand, the thwack knocks him off balance. Did he carry it over? Looked very close. After the game he told me he didn’t know if the ball crossed the line, a response that normally means ‘it probably did’. Another luck evening-out moment.

Hudlin banged a cross in from the right, Max reached high, couldn’t get to it, the ball hits the far post, rebounds onto the keeper’s back, somehow didn’t go in. Not so much luck, more a miracle.

County didn’t have a Grigg and that meant they didn’t get a point and his two-goal salvo near the end meant it was Town’s first win in the City of Newport since October 1969, en route to the Division Four title, a win so long ago, Newport wasn’t even a city then!

Special word for Tyrone Williams. The centre-back will be 30 the day before the Colchester United game and this was his first ever career start in the EFL. He’d come on as an 89th minute sub at Gillingham a few weeks ago and every other points offering fixture in his entire career had been in non-league. And he had the armband on, what a great day for him. Surely the only first-time starter ever to be captain in the English Football League …….. IN WALES! His performance was terrific, and the gaffer revealed afterwards he was replaced due to cramp.

On came club captain Jamie Grimes and he introduced himself with a huge  statement header, running for miles to win an aerial duel with Hudlin and leave the County man in a heap on the floor. Perfect in every way. Apart from it was a foul!

Scrappy? Yes. Was 3-0 an accurate reflection of the game? No. Did Chesterfield deserve it? Absolutely. They took their chances, rode their luck and defended resolutely when under attack. All the elements required for the recipe for success in an away match. When the game was chaotic, Chesterfield were calm (even though I wasn’t).

The last time Colchester United won on Whittington Moor was in January 2012, with the game’s only goal coming from Michail Antonio, now a £7m Hammers hero. Chesterfield’s last home win against The U’s? April 2015, a terrific Gary Roberts inspired 6-0 win. He and Sam Clucas both scored two each in a superb performance in Paul Cook’s last spell. Danny Cowley’s side has yet to win away from home this season and Chesterfield will be looking to continue their six-game unbeaten run (all games) and their six-game unbeaten home run. But not with another draw! Pretty please.

Phil’s Positive: Better footballing side in the first half, defended like Trojans in the second as County went gung-ho. Took our chances when they came.

Next Match: Colchester United (H), Tuesday, October 22, 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 be shown on Sky Sports.

Chesterfield (4-2-3-1 to start): Thompson; Mandeville (Daley-Campbell 67), Williams (Grimes 75), Araujo, Gordon; Oldaker, Metcalfe;Markanday, Dobra (Banks 75), Colclough (Jacobs 67); Madden (Grigg 70). Subs (not used): Rinaldo, Berry.

Goals: Markanday 1, Grigg 84, 87 (Chesterfield)

Referee: Tom Parsons

Bookings: Oldaker, Araujo (Chesterfield), Antwi, Wildig, Hudlin (Newport)

Attendance: 4,570 (373 from Chesterfield)

Galaxy Travel 1866 Sport Man of the Match: Dilan Markanday (chosen by Nick Johnson)