Blues End Record-Breaking Run Against Maidenhead

 

   Photo by Michael South Photography

The Blues were coming into this weekend's game record-breakers, with no other Chesterfield team in history starting a season ten games unbeaten. A 2-1 win away at Maidstone last weekend, in which Darren Oldaker scored a last minute winner, saw The Spireites set the new record. Spirits were high as fans had full belief this record could continue in a rare 3pm kick-off at The Technique Stadium. It felt like forever since we had a Saturday game at home, the last one being mid-August against Aldershot. However, Maidenhead are our 'bogey team' and sure enough, the record came to an end.

It was a slow start to the game, in all honesty. Maidenhead seemed happy with slowing the game down and Chesterfield were finding themselves having to pass the ball around the back a lot to try and get out. There were a few chances going forward for Chesterfield, but mostly the ball found its way back to the half-way line, or even further back. Calvin Miller and Ryheem Sheckleford both had shots blocked and Ollie Banks drew a good save from Maidenhead goalkeeper Dániel Gyollai, but in truth nothing much happened. There was a change of referee around the 40th minute, but it was unclear as to why- an injury perhaps. Five minutes later, on the stroke of half-time, Maidenhead found themselves 1-0 up. The ball was played through to Koby Arthur who slotted it home. Shouts of offside came from the Chesterfield fans, it was close, but the goal was given. Chesterfield were going to have to find some flair in the second half if things were to improve.

It was quite the opposite, however, when just five minutes into the second half Ashley Nathaniel-George doubled Maidenhead's lead. A couple of minutes before, Blues sat back and allowed Nathaniel-George to run towards goal and take a shot that needed a good save from Lucas Covlan to keep it out. Maidenhead managed to keep the ball from the resulting corner and Nathaniel-George fired low into the bottom corner. This prompted a double change from Chesterfield with Kabongo Tshimanga coming on to replace Akwasi Asante and Jesurun Uchegbulam replacing Calvin Miller. Chesterfield did have a few chances throughout the second half. Oldaker took the perfect free-kick in the 60th minute, but Gyollai made a superb save to deny Blues a goal. Around ten minutes later, following a Spireites corner, Tyrone Williams hit the post twice! His close-range shot hit the post, came back off him and hit the post again. If that wasn't going in then it looked like we were never going to score! With Maidenhead defending their 2-0 lead and The Blues finding their passes going astray, there wasn't too much action following this. Until added time... In the 93rd minute, Williams pulled one back for Chesterfield at the back post from a corner. With at least another couple of minutes to play, there was some belief around The Technique, with even Covolan going up for corners. However, it wasn't to be and it finished Chesterfield 1-2 Maidenhead.

It wasn't the performance that we've been used to this season from the Spireites, which puts us down to third. People might wonder what's so bad about that this early in the season but, like I've mentioned before, in a league where only one team gains automatic promotion, every point counts. There was lot to learn from that game that will hopefully be put in place on Tuesday night for Dagenham & Redbridge's visit. 

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