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October 2022
Sky Bet Championship
Chesterfield 1-4 Southampton
Spyrou 81 (pen)
First up in the October schedule was the visit of top of the league Southampton to the Proact.
We couldn’t have had a worse start. Just 6 minutes in, the Spireites defence allowed James Ward-Prowse far too much space to get forward before crossing for Che Adams who was given ample time to bring the ball down and slot home.
4 minutes later it was 2-0. Lemina brought the ball forward from inside his own half before picking out Ward-Prowse on the edge of the box who fired first time into the bottom corner.
On 23 minutes, Southampton made it 3-0. A wide free kick from Ward-Prowse found Marc Navarro in the middle whose header crashed off the bar and over the line.
Just before the hour it was 4-0. After sustained pressure around the Spireites box, Pierre Hojbjerg had a go from distance but saw his shot deflect into the path of Paulinho, who slotted the ball past an unbalanced Joel Coleman.
With 10 minutes to go, we got some consolation on a miserable afternoon. Bobby Kamwa burst into the box and was sent tumbling on a rare break forward for the hosts. With Oldaker having been substituted, Anthony Spyrou stepped up and fired into the bottom right corner for his first goal in 11 games.
Sky Bet Championship
West Ham United 2-0 Chesterfield
A fortnight later we visited 8th place West Ham United in East London. After 5 games without a win and an abhorrent display against Southampton, we changed to a 4-3-3 with Spyrou alone up front, following a knee injury to Alex Jakubiak which will see him ruled out for up to 4 weeks.
The Irons dominated the opening half, but had to to wait until the 44th minute to take the lead. A long ball from Yarney went straight to the West Ham defence. They played the ball out wide to Asamoah who burst forward in the left, before playing a cross to Veron Parkes who headed beyond Coleman.
The game continued in similar vein in the second half, with the hosts dominating.
They doubled their lead on 80 minutes. Sloppy clearances from the back kept coming back forward, and Fredrikson picked out Haller with his cross who turned it beyond Coleman
Sky Bet Championship
Chesterfield 0-1 Fleetwood Town
Next in the schedule was the visit of 15th place Fleetwood Town to the Proact. With us securing our place in the Championship in this fixture last season, I was hoping for a positive result to get us out of the rut. We returned to the old 4-4-2 formation for this one.
We started well and Wes McDonald nearly gave the Spireites the lead on 13 minutes. He burst forward on the right hand side before playing a low cross that deflected off the shins of a defender and looked to be goalbound until Crellin somehow managed to keep it out.
On 32 minutes we had another big opportunity. A long ball found Spyrou who flicked the ball on before turning his man. He crossed the ball for Bobby Kamwa in a good position but his header was narrowly over.
We continued to be the better side through the second half but couldn’t carve any significant openings.
However 3 minutes into injury time, we were left with nothing. The Fleetwood defence cleared the ball to Barratt on the counter attack. He set Ashley Hunter free, who lashed a shot into the top corner from just inside the penalty area.
A gutting result from our first good performance in 5 or 6 games, but punishment for our lack of clinical finishing.
Sky Bet Championship
Reading 1-0 Chesterfield
Next up was a trip to the Madejski Stadium to face 12th place Reading.
We had another nightmare start. 5 minutes in, Marvin Zeegelaar got on the end of a Michael Duffy free kick. His header rebounded off the post and fell to George Puscas who had an easy finish from inside the 6 yard box.
In truth it was a drab game after that. Despite a half chance from Anthony Spyrou being saved by Boyce-Clark, Reading saw the game out and we left Hampshire empty handed.
Sky Bet Championship
Chesterfield 0-2 Blackburn Rovers
Our penultimate fixture of October saw us host 12th place Blackburn Rovers at the Proact.
We started well. With 7 minutes on the clock, only the gloves of Lumley kept Fraser Preston’s 30 yard free kick out of the top right corner. From the resulting corner, Yarney was next to be thwarted by the Blackburn keeper.
We continued to be the better side in the early exchanges, however Blackburn took the lead on 13 minutes. Lewis Holtby’s free kick picked out Joe Rankin-Costello who headed in from point blank range.
We looked to bounce back positively, with Spyrou having a shot well saved minutes later, before teeing up Pyke from the rebound who was fouled on the edge of the box. Preston stepped up again from 20 yards but saw his free kick go inches wide.
The second half continued in similar vein, with us looking the more likely to make something happen. Rekeil Pyke headed into the side netting after he got onto Fraser Preston’s wide free kick, before he was replaced by academy graduate Mark Butler on the hour.
However, it was Blackburn who doubled their lead with 15 minutes to go. Substitute Connor Mahoney’s 20 yard free kick beat the wall and found the back of the net to secure 3 points for the visitors and leave us on a run of 7 straight defeats.
Sky Bet Championship
Chesterfield 1-1 Brighton & Hove Albion
Pyke 40
Our last fixture until Boxing Day saw us host 4th place Brighton at the Proact.
We started well, and nearly took the lead on 13 minutes. Jack Robinson’s long ball sent Spyrou through on goal. He spotted Samba off his line but his effort at a lob was sliced wide.
However on 29 minutes it was Brighton who took the lead. A swift attack saw Montoya pick out Maupay on the edge of the box who turned Robinson before firing a low drive into the bottom far corner.
However 10 minutes later, we were back level. After sustained pressure on the Reading box, the ball fell to Bassouamina on the left. His cross was blocked but fell to Spyrou. He played the ball to the near post where Rekeil Pyke flicked it into the back of the net for our first goal in 5 games.
The goal galvanised us, and we were unlucky not to be in front at the break. In added time, Anthony Spyrou brought down James Brown’s throw with his chest, before turning and firing a low shot towards goal which Samba had to push away.
After the break we looked like a new team and much the better side. Bassouamina was denied by Samba just before the hour before heading narrowly wide from McDonald’s cross 10 minutes later.
With 15 minutes to go, Oldaker brilliantly set Spyrou free, who was next to be denied by Samba before Jakubiak saw his shot come back off the post minutes later when he was played in by Matti Ballabio.
A really encouraging end to the game performance wise, however incredibly gutting that we did not come away with all three points given the chances had
End of month position: 23rd
Month review:
Possibly the worst month we’ve had yet. 1 point of a possible 15 is out and out relegation form. The only saving grace is that November and much of December will see the squad on international break due to the World Cup in Qatar. The point against Brighton was a good one, and had we been more clinical we would have come away with all three. Spyrou’s struggles in front of goal are not the only problem, however the lack of clinical finishing across our three main frontmen has no doubt contributed hugely to our problems. Six preseason friendlies will take place during the World Cup break, to keep up fitness and to hopefully restore some confidence and morale in the dressing room so that we can have a fresh start come Boxing Day when the season resumes. Off the field, Brandon Haunstrup has left the club on a £15k deal to join Wrexham.
