Phil Tooley takes a look at the game and its context
Chesterfield 0 Cambridge United 1
League Two Game #23
The mundane after the magic, the come-down after the carnival, the quiet after the fireworks; anything to avoid mentioning Lord Mayors!
Cambridge United, having scored just before the break after a rapid break from a Spireites corner, executed the perfect second-half game plan. They were so horrible they were brilliant and thoroughly deserved the win.
Collective culpability with the concession, missed header, missed tackle, misjudgement, it’s hard to watch it back, and even harder when you think that in the previous few minutes, Lee Bonis had hit the bar and Jamie Grimes somehow managed to squander the gilt-est of gilt edged chances. Mind you, those openings apart, there was precious little else in the Blues’ locker on a day when nothing clicked.
To add to the woes of the day, Lewis Gordon (quad) and Jamie Grimes (groin) both had to be replaced, which clipped the gaffer’s wings somewhat when it came to substitutions, but the main woe was the overall performance throughout the full 90 minutes. It was a tough watch.
The visitors don’t lose very often and they don’t conceded very often either. They never looked like losing and they never looked like conceding in this game, previously mentioned chances apart. Soak it up, occasionally squeeze vigorously to enable rapid counters, combine that with a relentless work ethic and, once ahead, make the game chaotic, stop-start, no flow, and ultimately make sure the lead remains.
Neil Harris’s side did exactly the same three weeks earlier, but Kyle McFadzean’s last-gasp goal gave Chesterfield a share of the spoils; this time they ensured that there would be no repeat of that.
Did it make for a great spectacle? No, though at 0-0 United showed they could play. If the Spireites repeat that at Oldham in the New Year, we’ll all be purring, it was a stupendously effective away performance. Well done, Cambridge.
Paul Cook has said many times this season that the team’s only consistency is being inconsistent, and back to back matches in the Twixmas period display that theory perfectly. Purr to poor, enigmatic to far too static, dynamic to inactive, top hat and tails to dance off disaster.
But after Gillingham came Harrogate, after Colchester came Salford, after Swindon came ten points from four games. This squad has the wherewithal to overcome dips and disasters.
It’s a tough place to try and rectify things though. Boundary Park, Oldham, who’ve just hit their best form of the season. Despite being without strikers Mellon and Fondop (injury and suspension respectively) the Latics out Walsall-ed Walsall last time out, scoring a late, late winner, despite having less possession than the Saddlers (didn’t know that was possible).
Ex-Spireites Kane Drummond and Joe Quigley both appeared in the win for a side with the section’s meanest defence (18 conceded), which comes hot on the heels of a game against the second meanest, Cambridge (19 concessions). Exactly the type of side the Spireites hate playing. We all need to be patient and we all need to be prepared to watch through our fingers at times, because I predict it won’t be pretty again.
Ten points from the last five games. Match that rate and the team would bank 46 from the second half of the season’s remaining 23, which would see Chesterfield end on 84. Champions last season Doncaster Rovers won the title with….. 84 points! Chin up, Happy New Year, Happy Transfer Window. I’ve a feeling it will be a happy 2026.
Phil’s Positive: At the halfway stage, the team is four points ahead of the same stage last season, at the end of which, Town missed out on automatic promotion by eight points, so at least with that statistic, the team is on track for eight more points than a year ago, which would have garnered a top three spot.
Next Match: Not long until the New Year’s Day trip to Oldham Athletic, with a 3pm kick-off. Listen to the build-up and After the Whistle on 1866 Sport from 2pm with commentary being on the subscription platform. Hear from Gary Roberts and Devan Tanton in the After the Whistle podcast from after the Cambridge United game.
Chesterfield (4-2-3-1 to start): Hemming; Tanton, McFadzean, Grimes (Donacien 56), Gordon (Lewis 30); Naylor, Stirk; Mandeville, Darcy (Dickson 71), Duffy (Berry 56); Bonis (Grigg 56). Subs (not used); Boot, Fleck.
Goal: McLaughlin 44 (Cambridge)
Referee: Scott Jackson
Bookings: Hemming (Chesterfield), Gibbons, Hoddle, Eastwood, Lavery (Cambridge)
Attendance: 8,589 (705 from Cambridge)
1866 Sport Banner Jones Man of the Match: Tom Naylor (chosen by Jamie Hewitt)
