Phil Tooley takes a look at the game and its context
Fleetwood Town 2 Chesterfield 0
League Two Game #22
I’ve had a very croaky throat over Christmas, so Fleetwood’s most famous product, Fishermen’s Friend, has been an essential part of my festive diet, every bit as much as Brussels sprouts and Terry’s Chocolate Orange.
There’s been no chance of me singing along with one of Sylvia’s favourites, and Fleetwood’s most famous son, the terrific tenor Alfie Boe, but there’s no doubt that the 915 travelling supporters left Highbury with a bit of a Boe within. There were certainly coach loads of Les Miserables travelling back down the foggy M61.
The writing was on the wall before the Big Fella had been. Grigg and Colclough added to the injury list and Charlie Adam sacked as the Cod Army chief, plus the Christmas Eve appointment of Pete Wild as Fleetwood’s new manager, who had a ‘watching brief’ for the game, but within ten minutes he’d snuck down to the dug-out vicinity.
Bonus points if you spotted that at half-time, the DJ played not only Born to be Wild by Steppenwolf, but also Anarchy in the UK, which was co-written by Sex Pistol Paul Cook. Solid balance.
How good / bad / indifferent* (delete as necessary) were the Spireites? Clearly an optimist v pessimist argument. Let’s pop a statistic in. Chesterfield have won nine games back in the EFL to date, and in those nine wins, there’s been a total of 50 shots on target, that’s 5.5 a game near enough. At Fleetwood? Seven.
Shots on target in the previous five EFL defeats? A total of 12 at around 2.5 a game. At Fleetwood, seven. Only Gillingham, with two, have had fewer shots on target that Fleetwood (three) in Spireites defeats.
With 72% possession, Chesterfield had enough of the ball and created enough chances to have won the game. But they were far from their best, injury-hit or not, time and again getting into good positions but failing to take advantage, whilst Fleetwood searched for scraps but served up a feast for their frustrated fans.
The first goal, against the run of play, was a scrappy affair, collective culpability from the Blues’ defence, whilst the second, late on, was a route one keeper kick followed by a ‘bet you can’t do that again’ left-footed screamer that will be on Fleetwood’s Goal of the Season shortlist.
Town’s best spell came in the period approaching half-time when keeper David Harrington made an incredible triple save to deny Mandeville, Drummond and Markanday whilst less than a minute later, he kept out a Mandeville left-footer. You kind of thought that new-manager-itis was in play at that point.
Whilst the 11 that started the game constituted a decent line-up, the injury list means that the bench has been decimated. Take out DJ, and the five other outfield subs had one EFL start this season between them, so Cook’s desired starting point of refreshing the flair for the final 30 was a non-starter. Add to that, having to nurse a couple of the starters who are not at 100%, Ryheem Sheckleford in particular, whilst Dobra and Markanday have been racking up the minutes with minimal rest periods in recent weeks.
Biggest disappointment was that the three teams immediately above Town, Vale, Donny and Crewe, all lost, so a win at Fleetwood would have put Chesterfield second. Just think about that when you’re feeling a bit grouchy and critical.
Gunner Elliott, a first-year scholar, at 16 years and 161 days old, became the Spireites’ second-youngest ever player. He was just two days older than the youngest, Denis Thompson, who debuted against Notts County on Christmas Day in 1950, and he also played 24 hours later, again versus County! The Buxton-born youngster has the best part of six months to score to beat Kevin Davies’ youngest ever scorer tag. Congratulations Gunner, the first ever player with Maltese heritage to appear for Chesterfield.
Tenth-placed Bradford City, three points behind Chesterfield, host the Spireites on Sunday. Graham Alexander’s side beat Port Vale at Valley Parade on Boxing Day with evergreen Andy Cook (not to be confused with ex-Bradford striker Andy Cooke) bagging a brace, taking his all-competitions seasonal tally to 15. He’s one of those guys everyone immediately thinks ‘he always scores against us’. I initially thought that, but as with others, perhaps got confused with his near namesake. This AC has never played against the Spireites!
Bradford and MK Dons on New Year’s Day are two fixtures that Cook & co will just have to get through as best they can before any chance of reinforcements (as well as potential departures) can be contemplated. But the games can be contemplated from a position in the play-off zone. Hands up if you’d NOT take that at the end of the season. I see no hands.
Phil’s Positive: By the looks of things, no new injuries. Great to see a young lad, Gunner Elliott, being given a chance. Three hundred games in charge for Paul Cook, and a cupboard full of unforgettable memories therein.
Next Match: Bradford City (A) on Sunday, December 29, KO 3pm. Full commentary for subscribers on the commentary platform (find details on Chesterfield FC website). Build-up from 2pm, half-time and post-match remains on the 1866 Sport App. The match is also available to stream, details also on the club website.
Chesterfield (4-1-4-1 to start): Thompson; Sheckleford, Naylor, Grimes, Araujo (Horton 85); Banks (Oldaker 83); Markanday (Cook 90+1), Mandeville, Dobra Berry (Hobson 84); Drummond (Elliott 84). Unused Subs: Boot, Jessop.
Goals: Vertue 28, Harratt 87
Referee: Ben Speedie
Bookings: Araujo, Drummond (Chesterfield), Wiredu, Potter, Bonds (Fleetwood)
Attendance: 2,618 (915 from Chesterfield)
Galaxy Travel 1866 Sport Man of the Match: Dilan Markanday (chosen by Phil Tooley)
