Tooley’s Take

Phil Tooley takes a look at the game and its context

Chesterfield 1 Swindon Town 2

League Two Game #18

When Munroe and Snowdon score against you, it’s clear there’s a mountain to climb. The Spireites were un-done by Swindon, who needed mountain rescue to search for the right route to compete with the obstacles in front of them.

But as the season of holly approaches, Ian ‘Olly’ Holloway opened door after door of his advent calendar to find a vision he liked. He eventually unlocked the right door, just after mountain rescue had treated his seriously injured goalkeeper, who also got an early card from the referee for being a bit late with his goal kick.

Chesterfield were still messing around at basecamp when the Munroe challenge was set. Watch Crewe’s third last week and then this one. Select an easy path and take it. Town need to pop in an electric fence or some barbed wire to make that route somewhat tougher.

The Spireites soon found their compass and started pointing in the right direction and John Fleck’s thunderbolt, his first goal for two years and seven months, set up by Chey Dunkley, led to a period of pomp rather than yomp as Chesterfield strode onwards in some style. But when you’re on top, you need to do more than stick a flag in the ground, and despite plenty of kicks from the flag, sights of the summit and a great support team from the stands, the final steps were not taken and the serious challenge soon petered out.

Half time, eight shots Spireites, two on target, second half, five shots, none on target. Swindon second half? Nine shots, four on target, one of them sneaking through a forest of legs after a corner that will have been replayed in the mind of many, but Zach Hemming in particular, who on Monday morning will not want to say ‘pinch, punch, first of the month’.

Robins’ gaffer Holloway, as wily as they come, switched formations, moved personnel all around the park, and ended up banking a fifth away win of the season, equal best in the division with leaders Walsall. Rest assured, the visitors were a good side who worked hard, mixed things up and had plenty of good players, you could see exactly why they are where they are.

The stats showed Chesterfield did okay, but lacked a killer instinct on the day. More shots, more corners, higher percentage of accurate passes, more forward passes, more touches in the box, more crosses, more tackles won, more aerial duels won, fewer clearances. The main one though, fewer goals.

Paul Cook went through a bunch of stats which you can hear in the After the Whistle podcast, outlining the number of times his side has conceded first at home, been behind on our own grass, linking to Accrington a few weeks ago, the number of times the team has been 2-0 down. He knows we are a soft touch too often, slow starters too often, not killers when the target is in sight.

After a first defeat in ten in all competitions, he felt like we all felt, that it really doesn’t feel like that. It feels a lot worse, really flat because, like from minute ten to around the half-hour mark against Swindon, the football was terrific, the second best side in the division couldn’t live with it.

Sadly, the boys in blue couldn’t sustain that level and that ultimately led to yer man Snowdon reaching heights we were unable to achieve on the day.

Few points; great reception and well deserved for DJ Oldaker. Fleck’s last goal, for the Blades against Preston, was scored past keeper Freddie Woodman, son of Bromley boss Andy, who can now boast L2’s only unbeaten home record. The match was #15 for Holloway as a manager against Chesterfield. He now has ten wins to just one loss (January 2004, CFC 4 QPR 2) and the 2.27 points per game average is his best return against any team he’s faced eight or more times.

Donny in the Vertu on Tuesday (away) and then again in the FA Cup next Saturday (home). They ended a run of ten without a win in L1 on Saturday, beating struggling Peterborough United 2-1. The midweek game is clearly not high on PC’s priority list. He said fans need to take this into account before deciding to go to South Yorkshire, whilst next weekend’s TV game will be one that he and the club will be treating with great importance.

Next league game? Tuesday, December 9 at in-form Cambridge United who feature a G Hoddle (George and a second cousin), and one of their younger players in Lohan McDougald, son of ex-Spireite Junior. Their keeper is Jake Eastwood, a man whose first ever game in the EFL saw him concede five at Stevenage in a 5-1 loss for Chesterfield in December 2017. The hosts fielded future Spireite Jonathan Smith, who was ironically at the Swindon game commentating on BBC Radio Wiltshire. Who knew?

All we need to do now is climb every mountain, ford every stream, follow every rainbow… and we will find our dream!

Phil’s Positive: From conceding the first goal, for a 20-minute spell, the team played as well as at any time this season in the EFL. We just need to see that for 80 or more minutes in a game!

Next Match: Tuesday evening at 7pm, it’s the Vertu Trophy knock-out game at Doncaster Rovers. Make sure you hear what Paul Cook said about his approach to the game in the Swindon After the Whistle podcast; it’s clearly not a priority, he said this week is all about next weekend’s home game with Rovers in the FA Cup. Commentary of the game will only be on the subscription platform starting at five to kick-off and ending just after the final whistle. Hear from the manager and Liam Mandeville in After the Whistle from after the Swindon game.

Chesterfield (4–2–3–1 to start): Hemming; Tanton (Daley-Campbell 68), Dunkley, McFadzean, Gordon (Lewis 68); Fleck, Naylor (Darcy 68); Markanday (Dickson 79), Mandeville, Duffy (Berry 68); Bonis. Subs (not used); Boot, Grimes.