Phil Tooley takes a look at the game and its context
Fleetwood Town 1 Chesterfield 0
Carabao Cup First Round
I looked back at my ‘Take’ for the play-off games from last season against Notts County, and much of what I wrote then could easily be recycled to fit this game. Plenty of chances, error for the concession, better side, defence snuffed out our efforts. Very frustrating.
But I didn’t enjoy either County game; the stakes were high and our reward was zip, but despite extending what was already a competition record 13 first round exits to 14 in the League Cup, in a strange sort of way, I enjoyed the game at Fleetwood Town. Not the result, not the ‘yet another early exit’ but the spirit of the team and the performance of some of the new faces.
Remeao Hutton; quick, very quick, crosses, lots of crosses. George McEachren; he provided a Sammy Braybrooke show which is high praise indeed. Those two shone.
Jack Simpson; won loads of headers, carried the ball from the back with ease. Yes, a couple of minor miscues, but solid for the most part. A more than decent first effort.
As for the flair players, I’m sure both Ruel Sotiriou and Josh Koroma would have wanted to do more, but their endeavour and their positional sense shows they both have lots more to offer, but on this day, they came up against an extremely tough and resolute rearguard. Fleetwood’s three at the back became five after ex-Spireite Ched Evans darted between Kyle McFadzean and Ryan Boot to score the game’s only goal after just 14 minutes.
Home keeper Jay Lynch rubbed in that error time and again as he spotted danger, reacted quickly and exited his box to clear, preventing half a dozen potential hazards becomingequalisers.
The hosts defensive work was excellent. Strength of body, strength in numbers, blocks galore. There’ll be few better shielding shows over the next nine months but, as with last season, I suspect there’ll be lots of teams turn up to try and replicate Cod’s approach, particularly on Whittington Moor. For me, being able to pick such locks remains Paul Cook’s number one priority for training ground work.
It was one way traffic in the second half, but the Spireites SatNav directed them down too many cul-de-sacs. Fleetwood’s wing-backs became full-backs, the midfield three sat deep and on many occasions, strikers Evans and Davies became supplementary defenders. The home team had just one shot from 45 minutes onwards.
Ahead of the break, Lee Bonis hit a shot that, in the moment, provided a flashback to the 2023 play-off final and Rodrigues’ goal that bounced off the deck and in; sadly, the Northern Irishman’s version flew off the turf and just over the bar. Later on, Bonis headed onto the top of the bar at the other end. Another day, either of those efforts could have gone in.
Undoubtedly, rush-goalie interventions apart, Lynch wasn’t tested anywhere near enough. With nine corners, 33 crosses and 15 shots from The Spireites, he should have had to do a lot more work, for sure. Very often, those in front of him, when under pressure, were happy to go robust; 21 fouls committed by the home side was testimony to their determination to keep a clean sheet. Maybe we still need to learn a bit of nastiness.
Once again, Chesterfield failed the 70-odd% test. In the last two seasons, the only team beaten when Spireites have had between 70-79% possession have been the Lardy Boys from Horsham in the FA Cup. Shut-up shop tactics haveinevitably meant disappointment, and after the game, the Gaffer likened the Fleetwood approach to Walsall and Bromley, and I knew exactly what he meant.
Of the new boys who came off-the bench, Fraser Brydon got stuck in but wasn’t offered any chances in front of goal, whilst Danny Aniskjo, in his first outing at senior level, had an acrobatic effort deflected over the bar and he looked very promising.
An away defeat, to a mistake, disappointing, but the overall performance was very pleasing on the eye. Nowhere near as pleasing as being able to watch our ball number in Monday’s second round draw, but the last time a League Cup game was won, in 2006 against West Ham United, Chesterfield ended the season relegated! The last time Chesterfield lost a one-off away game (as opposed to in a two-leg tie) by a 1-0 scoreline in this competition, they won their first 12 consecutive home games.
That’s a target, starting on Saturday against…. Fleetwood Town!
Phil’s Positive: Second half saw some lovely football, but it wasn’t enough to get back on level terms.
Chesterfield (4-2-3-1 to start): Boot; Hutton, McFadzean,Simpson, Gordon (Naylor 84); Stirk, McEachran; Markanday,Sotiriou (Mandeville 70), Koroma (Aniskjo 76); Bonis(Bryden 70). Subs (not used); Sissons, Owolabi-Belewu, Pond, Eccleston, Butterfield.
Goal: Evans 14 (Fleetwood)
Referee: Martin Coy
Bookings: Koroma, McFadzean (Chesterfield), Thompson-Sommes, McCann, Potter.
Attendance: 1619 (579 from Chesterfield)
Spireites TV Man of the Match: Remeao Hutton (chosen by Ben Smith
