Phil Tooley takes a look at the game and its context
Notts County 1 Chesterfield 2
League Two Game #36
2020, Wooton 90, Rodrigues stoppage time, County win 3-2 on our grass. 2021, play-offs, Ellis 90, Magpies win. 2023, Wembley, Bostock 87 to grab extra-time and ultimately a pens win. 2024, 90+4, Max saves McGoldrock’s pen, rebound slotted home, 2-2. 2025, EVERY DOG HAS ITS DAY! About time too. Nailed it, early mind you, only 88 on the ticker, still potential cry time and pressure on the other sort of ticker, but the last few minutes, which have officially been aligned to the classic film (and decent remake) The Day The Earth Stood Still, were nervy but mainly celebratory.
Best result of the season? Undoubtedly, based on position #4 hosting #14, based on the aforementioned history, based on Notts levelling ten seconds after it should have been 2-0 to Town, based on the fact that they were good (you’d be a tough judge to say that they weren’t the better side over the contest as a whole), based on the limbs and scenes in the immediate aftermath of Tom’s goal and based on Danny Webb’s unfettered and joyous dancing in front of the travelling fans after the final whistle. These moments did not feel like it came at the end of a result that lifted the team into the heights of position #12, the happiness came from recent history and too many games when Spireites were the best side, only to have the prize snatched from their hands at the last minute. The dictionary definition of ‘serendipity’ needs to be altered to ‘The feeling a Spireite gets when Tom Naylor scored at Meadow Lane’.
Best performance of the season? I wouldn’t go that far, how can you when the opponents out-possessed, out-shot and out-cornered you, though in the second half it was a much more even contest, you could reasonably argue that the side in blue shaded it.
Nevertheless, it was the grittiest performance of the season by far, John Wayne and Rooster Cogburn would have been proud of it (Wikipedia moment for spring chickens). Best stat? We committed more fouls than the home side, a statistic which we invariably finish second, but with zero bookings, we fouled properly!
I also think we had the rub of the referee’s green. The Spireites were in tune with Mr Rock, Notts fans felt paper and scissors should have come out on top much more before Naylor’s fist pumps. That said, I did call the liner a few choice things on commentary (his name is Richard, a name occasionally shortened) when he waited about four days* to raise his flag to rule out the early Jatta effort. Right decision, wrong time zone, the clocks don’t change until the end of the month. (*This time is based on how slowly stoppage time passed at the end of the game).
Goal-less at the break. First mission accomplished, don’t concede against the 34-goal front two, of which I have to say, David McGoldrick had a brilliant game, pure class and so mobile for a 37-year-old. Boot superb, as he was after the break too, his one-on-ones of late have been outstanding.
Bit more of the ball, bit more positive after the break, plenty of defending to do but Grimes and Palmer were in fine fettle. In the middle, the player formerly known as Tom Naylor was very much back to being the Tom Naylor we know and love, both on and off the ball. At the sharper end, Banks was always probing and Bim being bashed about, Mr Rock seemed to allow Bim bashing, but when back in the starting XI Lewis Gordon delivered, Purple Patch Pepple (phrase inspired by Mr Howard Borrell) peeled off his marker to head home, three in three.
No need for nerves, Dobra darts forward, Tom to his left, only one defender plus the keeper, 2-0 for sure. Doh, Slocombe saves, County counter, 1-1 in the blink of an eye. Victor Meldrew moment.
Then County did what Chesterfield were guilty of too many times earlier in the season, they went for the jugular and didn’t really think that by doing that, there was high potential for losing what they’d got. Colclough chases a lost cause by the corner, pulls it back, fellow sub Duffy delivers, Bim’s touch seems to hit the defender’s face, falls to Naylor. Limbs. Vu Déjà which clearly is the opposite of Déjà vu! Fantastic and, as I’ve said time and again this season, the EFL is the place for stuff like this.
Game in hand on all bar Port Vale above us, seven points off Colchester United in seventh, Harrogate Town next week is all of a sudden a must win game, which is a real pity, because we’ve never beaten them. Fourth bottom, they’ve picked up just one point from their last six away games, though that was at Vale Park, and only one player, Josh March with six, has scored more than three EFL goals this term.
It all felt a bit disappointing after the LLLL, it all feels a whole lot better now after WWW, so let’s all hope we can go four on the trot from a positive viewpoint and all get our mojo back, and be back in the game. Let’s all dream on again.
Phil’s Positive: Are we back in the game? Let’s be bold, we’re back in the game!
Next Match: Saturday, March 22 at home against Harrogate Town (Played 5 Won 0), the match kicks-off at 3pm. All of the build-up on 1866 Sport from 2pm, then onto the commentary platform (find details on Chesterfield FC website), with half-time and After the Whistle remaining on the 1866 Sport App, online and on smart speaker. All After the Whistle shows, with the first and most comprehensive post-match analysis, are always available as podcasts on the club’s official channels. Post Notts, hear from Janoi Donacien, Tom Naylor, Bim Pepple and Danny Webb.
Chesterfield (4-2-3-1 to start): Boot; Sheckleford (Donacien 15), Palmer, Grimes, Gordon (Duffy 71); Naylor, Metcalfe; Mandeville (Hobson 82), Banks (Fleck 82), Dobra (Colclough 82); Pepple. Unused Subs: Thompson, Olakigbe.
Goals: Pepple 69, Naylor 88 (Chesterfield), Jarvis 81 (Notts)
Referee: David Rock
Bookings: None
Attendance: 13,229 (1,921 from Chesterfield)
Galaxy Travel 1866 Sport Man of the Match: Tom Naylor (chosen by Josh Marsh)
