Tooley’s Take

Phil Tooley takes a look at the game and its context

Chesterfield 3 Fleetwood Town 0

League Two Game #42

First half, the Spireites battled the big strong Cod Army with a bit of a flounder feeling, flat; second half, much more shark like, showing some sharp attacking teeth to tear apart one of the section’s most successful away teams.

Fleetwood may have been missing a few key players, true. We’ve no idea what that feels like this season. MUCH. We may have been guilty of not taking advantage of first-half possession and corners domination, no on-target shots in the opening 45, but the visitors had none either. It was a bit slow, and it got slower when Armando Dobra limped off with what looked like a groin injury around the half-hour mark. Tough on him. The game had a bit of a pre-season, or was it end of season feel?

Interval, kick towards the Kop, Fleetwood maybe frustrated at not really being in the game, and wham bam, Coco scores, it’s obvious man. Last goal this season, Chesterfield 3 Bromley 0. One before that, Chesterfield 3 Tranmere Rovers 0. Bit of a pattern. Indeed, Ryan has scored 17 goals for the Spireites. His first was a last minute consolation in a 2-1 loss at Wrexham. Since then, every Colclough goal equals a Chesterfield win. Seven more this season then please Mr C, one per match!

What a cracker it was too. Lewis Gordon feeds him on the left, cut inside, two steward looking hi-vis defenders, nice ricochet off a leg, find a shooting position and job done. For me, the first Goal of the Season contender since Michael Olakigbe’s team goal in the 5-2 win over Donny.

Daylight appeared when Ash Palmer, what a game he had, met a Liam Mandeville free-kick with what looked a decent header ‘live’ but an even better one on video, his first goal in over a year and, at the age of 32, his first ever in the EFL. Congratulations.

The third goal was another excellent one, with the Spireites defence winning the ball from a Fleetwood goal kick, some crisp, quick, first time passing out to Bim Pepple, great turn and assist for Paddy Madden to finish with aplomb. You can understand some of the frustration when possession count builds but shots are noticeable in their absence by looking at this goal, perfect #Cookball, quick, forwards, accurate, goal.

Three very different goals, three top quality goals, three goals that mean that Paul Cook’s side still has a place at the table, helped by Harrogate Town’s late brace against Grimsby Town, hindered by Colchester United’s late brace at Newport. Salford’s game in hand is due on Tuesday at home to (come on) Donny, they host Accrington Stanley on Good Friday whilst Grimsby are at home to WWW Swindon Town and Colchester are also at home, to LL Crewe.

That clearly means that Chesterfield have the toughest opening to the Easter pair of fixtures as well as an unenviable Monday follow up at home to Bradford City. Break an egg, boys.

Fifth-placed AFC Wimbledon are three points off third spot (could be four after Salford v Donny or five after Bradford v Notts on Thursday), so they’ll be desperate for a win, but they have faded of late. Two months ago, after beating Salford 1-0 at home, they were second to Walsall and unbeaten in ten, but a non-promotion return of 14 points from the subsequent 12 games, including home defeats against Bromley and Cheltenham Town, has somewhat deflated the Dons, who’ve still got Port Vale and Grimsby to play.

Only Bradford have won more at home and only Bradford have conceded fewer at home this season, so a trip to SW17 is as challenging as it comes. That challenge is looking even more daunting if top scorer and the only man to appear in every Chesterfield league game this season, Armando Dobra, doesn’t make the trip to play Johnnie Jackson’s Wombles.

Clean up against Wimbledon and Bradford though, and the final pair against Morecambe and Accrington will certainly look interesting. Big ask to end the big EFL adventure positively, but no bets are off yet.

Phil’s Positive: Four games to go and still in the hunt, albeit hanging by a thread. Easter though needs to go eggs-actly right!

Next Match: Friday, April 18 at AFC Wimbledon. The match kicks-off at 3pm. All of the build-up on 1866 Sport from 2 o’clock, then onto thecommentary 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. Hear Liam Mandeville, Kyle McFadzean, Ash Palmer and Danny Webb in Fleetwood’s After the Whistle podcast.

Chesterfield (4-2-3-1 to start): Boot; Mandeville, Palmer, McFadzean, Gordon; Fleck (Madden 74), Metcalfe (Naylor 74); Olakigbe, Dobra(Banks 31), Colclough (Duffy 67); Grigg (Pepple 67). Unused Subs: Thompson, Grimes.