Phil Tooley takes a look at the game and its context
Chesterfield 2 Walsall 2
League Two Game #29
What the Dickens did we witness? Definitely A Tale of Two Towns!
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way.
As anyone in Grimsby would say, yup, that sums it up, a tale of two halves, which had (after forty minutes or so) everyone in blue begging, ‘please sir, I want some more.’ Football is so twisted!
Boom. Will Grigg being Will Grigg then Dilan Markanday picking Walsall’s pocket and it’s 2-0 after just 20 minutes. What a start, incredible play, chances taken, joyful fans. We watched quick and crisp passing, intelligent movement on and off the ball, it was jaw dropping stuff.
Then, just before we were all about to enjoy our half-time cup of tea, pint of beer, pie or a wait in the queue, The Ghost of Walsall past appeared, sloppy concession, first Saddlers’ effort on target, advantage halved. Never mind though, the visitors wouldn’t be able cope with the resurgent Spireites again after the break. Surely.
What no-one envisaged was that Walsall would bring on a 38-year-old who’d completely change the dynamic of the game whilst the home side’s own transformation would see the first half World Beaters become more like egg beaters whisking up a meringue, or am I wrong?
Albert Adomah, previously of many parishes including Middlesbrough, Villa and Forest, a veteran of over 860 professional games including one in the 2014 World Cup and a couple in the Premier League, played a bit wider than the man he replaced, Jamille Matt, and Spireites couldn’t figure him out.
Like for Walsall’s first, a header from Daniel Kanu from a fantastic Connor Bennett cross, Adomah managed to get the better of Chesterfield’s defence to nod home from a free-kick to level up on the hour. Crikey, the last half hour was going to be a tester and set to last for about two hours!
The game, by this time open and expansive from both sides, was enthralling, a terrific spectacle, but for those with blue blood, incredibly frustrating as a masterclass of League Two football had morphed into a scrap, a very good one, but nevertheless a scrap that had seen Walsall on the ropes, one punch away from a knockout, but that body blow just couldn’t be found when it was needed, our opponent rallied and got a deserved draw.
Chesterfield’s eight shots on target was a seasonal high against 11 men (only Bristol Rovers was more, against their ten players) and only in the games against Rovers, Accrington Stanley and Barnet have more than the total of 14 shots from Spireites been topped this season.
Walsall away this season? No shots on target! FYI, in the two league games against Walsall last season, Town had two shots on target in each game. I’m not prepared to remind myself of the play-off games!
Plenty of things to be pleased about, plenty of things to be frustrated about, bit of a bad day though around the grounds as many of our competitors banked wins at the weekend and this midweek sees a few games in hand being played which could see Barnet or Crewe overtake the Spireites (they play each other), whilst Swindon, Walsall and Notts could all add to their points tally.
Walsall visit Bristol Rovers on Tuesday; Steve Evans strugglers beat Newport County 3-0 on Saturday and on Saturday they’ll be hoping to extend their incredible home record against Chesterfield. In 18 visits in the EFL to either Eastville, Twerton Park or The Memorial Stadium, the Spireites have never managed a win; every other team we’ve visited that many times has seen us win at least once.
Statto types will know we have won there in the League Cup, a mere 61 years ago, and they’ll also know it took 21 visits and 104 years to register a first win at Bristol City, so visits to the City that brought us Banksy have never been particularly fruitful. Can we go there and burst his famous balloon? That really does need to happen.
Phil’s Positive: Forty fantastic minutes; replicate that for longer spells and the aims will be met.
Next Match: Saturday, February 7, a South West sortie to Bristol Rovers, kick-off 3pm; never a happy place to go! Listen to the build-up on 1866 Sport from 2pm with commentary being on the subscription platform, then back on the App for After the Whistle. Hear from Gary Roberts, Will Grigg and Ryan Stirk in the After the Whistle podcast from after the Walsall game.
Chesterfield (4-2-3-1 to start): Hemming; Curtis, McFadzean, Swinkels, Pearce; Braybrooke (Ladapo 86), Stirk; Markanday (Berry 75), Mandeville (Naylor 75), Duffy (Dobra 66); Grigg (Bonis 66). Subs (not used); Donacien, Dunkley
Referee: Charles Breakspear
Attendance: 8,702 (976 from Walsall)
1866 Sport Man of the Match: Ryan Stirk (chosen by Jamie Hewitt)
