December 2019
Vanarama National League
Chesterfield 0-1 Aldershot Town
A busy 8 game December began with the visit of 4th placed Aldershot to the Proact.
However it was a disappointingly boring start. The first 45 minutes saw an even display with half chances but no clear cut opportunities for either side.
5 minutes after the break we looked a bit more lively, Yarney’s cross finding the head of Spyrou, whose effort rebounded off the crossbar before it was hacked clear
However despite not threatening much throughout the game, Aldershot took the lead 10 minutes before time. A deep cross from Hegarty found Berkeley-Agyepong at the far post who beat Coddington to open the scoring
We failed to respond with anything, and a lack of any bite saw us come away with nothing. Another frustrating home defeat to open a key month in the season.
Vanarama National League
Yeovil Town 0-3 Chesterfield
Spyrou 31, 81
Pemberton 80
Next up was a long trip down to the West Country to face 19th placed Yeovil. 328 supporters made the 450 mile round trip on a drizzly Saturday afternoon.
We were out of the blocks quickly, Spyrou twice denied by Stuart Nelson in the opening 10 minutes.
We had to wait half an hour for our breakthrough. Wilkinson looked to have dealt with a long ball forward by Maguire, however he dallied on the ball and Spyrou took it from his toes. He was again denied by Nelson, who produced a double save to stop McKay’s effort from the rebound. However Spyrou pounced on the loose ball to finally open the scoring from yards out.
Yeovil almost had an instant response. A long ball into the area for Hippolyte, but his first time volley crashed off the bar.
We had to wait until 80 minutes to seal the win. Good work to get forward by Rowley allowed him to put the ball through to Pemberton who flicked the ball past Nelson.
A minute after the restart it was 3-0. Rowley again provider, his long ball over the top found Spyrou in behind who made no mistake to score his 2nd of the game and 10th of the season.
Spyrou could have had a hat trick. In added time he burst through again, but his shot was tipped over by Nelson. A fourth win in a row on the road.
Vanarama National League
Dover Athletic 2-3 Chesterfield
McKay 3
Mandeville 12
Yarney 65
Next up was a trip to the Kent coast for our game in hand against 22nd placed Dover. Considering our recent away form I was optimistic about this one.
It took us 3 minutes to get off the mark. Mandeville whipped in a free kick from the right hand side onto the head of Weir. His effort was blocked, as was Rowley’s, but the ball eventually fell to Jack McKay who bundled it over the line.
On 12 minutes we had doubled the lead. Weir’s cross found Mandeville, who floated a header into the far corner.
In the 23rd minute, Weir was forced off with an injury giving Sam Wedgbury a first appearance of the season. He will be out for around 3 weeks with a fractured wrist.
On 38 minutes Dover pulled one back. Taylor’s cross found Inih Effiong, who cushioned a header to Woods. His shot took a big deflection off Yarney and left Coddington stranded.
On 65 minutes Yarney opened his account for the season. He got on the end of Mandeville’s corner and after seeing his header saved, got a toe to the rebound to make it 3-1
6 minutes later Dover made it 3-2. Woods found substitute Ricky Modeste in the box who squared it to find Effiong in acres of space with an easy finish
The 93rd minute saw Meite taken off with a twisted ankle, however we held on to make it 5 wins in a row away from the Proact
FA Trophy First Round
Kings Lynn Town 0-1 Chesterfield
Pemberton 70
A break from league action saw us travel to National League North side Kings Lynn for the first round of the FA Trophy. The board were expecting at least to win this game, as was I.
We had to wait until the 70th minute for the opener. Curtis Weston found Pemberton on the edge of the box, and the left winger fired a low drive into the bottom corner.
It wasn’t pretty but it was a win and a replay avoided. A home tie against National League South side Bath City awaits in the second round.
Vanarama National League
Chesterfield 1-0 Notts County
McKay 79
A return to the league welcomed 9th placed Notts Co to the Proact for the second time this season. James Brown returned from injury and we were hoping for a repeat of the FA Cup victory.
We started stronger, after a few shots on target Pemberton went close twice after successive corners, however the first half finished goalless.
Things continued in a similar vein without reward in the second 45. Yarney hit the bar after a corner however we just could not find the breakthrough.
However on 79 minutes we finally got the breakthrough. An excellent ball from Joe Rowley sent McKay scampering clear, and he made no mistake beating Slocombe to open the scoring.
That was the only goal in a drab game, however it is our first home league win since late October and extends our winning run to 4 games. A welcome Christmas present!
Vanarama National League
Chesterfield 3-1 Fylde
Spyrou 1
Yarney 42
McKay 82
The Boxing Day fixture saw us host 11th place Fylde as the first of 3 fixtures in the space of 5 day. Fylde have lost their last 3 so I was hoping to pile on the misery.
We were ahead after just 44 seconds. A free kick just outside the box from Mandeville found the head of Maguire, who flicked it onto Spyrou at the far post for an easy finish.
McGlashan then replaced Mandeville on 20 minutes after he complained of a tight thigh. With games coming thick and fast I couldn’t afford to pick up injuries and did not want to exacerbate anything
Just before half time we were 2 up. Yarney’s second of the season came after Buchanan’s corner was again flicked on by Maguire allowing Yarney to tuck it in at the back post.
10 minutes into the second half and Fylde pulled one back. A long ball by Ryan East sent Danny Philliskirk clear and the experienced striker had no problem beating Coddington with an emphatic effort.
On 72 minutes Yarney was unlucky not to double his tally. A long freekick from deep found him just inside the box and an acrobatic volley from the centre half saw the ball hit the bar and bounce back out again without crossing the line.
On 82 minutes we sealed the points. Lovely play between Weston and Rowley in the middle allowed the latter to work the ball through to Jack McKay whose shot was too fierce for Montgomery.
3 points secured, the winning run extended to 5 games and back to back home league wins for the first time since early August sealed a fantastic Christmas.
Vanarama National League
Boreham Wood 1-0 Chesterfield
2 days later we were back in action against 23rd placed Boreham Wood. Wholesale changes rested many of the key players, the most notable being 19 year old Levi Amantchi making his first appearance of the season at the expense of McKay
On 23 minutes we had the ball in the net. Wedgbury sent Spyrou clear on goal, but the striker’s effort was disallowed for offside.
On 33 minutes though, it was the hosts that took the lead. A quick counter attack found Tyrone Marsh unmarked in the box to score.
We struggled to create chances after that, Rowley and Spyrou were reluctantly subbed off to preserve them for Barnet in 3 days time but the game finished 1-0. A disappointing defeat despite a relatively good performance from tired first team players and their replacements.
Vanarama National League
Chesterfield 0-0 Barnet
Our final game of 2019 was a New Years Eve fixture against 7th Barnet at the Proact. I was keen to get a win from this one to start building some home form to get our promotion bid going.
We edged the first half but couldn’t find the breakthrough. Spyrou headed narrowly over from a Buchanan corner and Pemberton later found himself in space, only to fire his shot straight at Loach.
After the break we continued to test. Fit again Robbie Weir this time heading narrowly over before Pemberton made a mess of a good chance.
Barnet had the ball in the net on 53 minutes but it was disallowed for offside. A shot from distance from Fonguck deflected off the offside Adams and into the net.
Maguire had a header cleared off the line in the closing seconds after a corner, however this one would end goalless.
End of month position: 5th
Month review:
A good month all in all with 13 points taken from a possible 21. A disappointing result away at Boreham Wood is mitigated by fixture congestion and personnel changes, however we have only lost 2 of our last 10 games. Off the field, the takeover bid from David Francis collapsed on Christmas Eve, so for now Dave Allen has lifted the embargo, however I anticipate he still plans to sell.
Weir, Meite, Boden and Coddington have been offered contract extensions, as has Buchanan although talks appear to have broken down for now with him. Tom Denton has left for Kettering on loan until the end of the season and Mike Fondop will leave for TNS in January for £5k.