Poor finishing and defensive fragility costs Chesterfield in draw at York City - five talking points

Jeff King’s well-taken free-kick put Town ahead on nine minutes but substitute Mitch Hancox finished first time from Alex Whittle’s cross to equalise on 78 minutes.

Here are some of the big talking points from the game...

NOT RUTHLESS

Chesterfield continued their run of scoring in every league match so far, which is impressive, however they were not ruthless enough at the LNER Community Stadium and it cost them dearly. As the game went on there was a feeling that York would score and that Town needed a second if they were to secure maximum points. While the record of finding the net in all 15 league matches is a positive, they have scored 11 fewer goals than leaders Notts County and 13 fewer than Wrexham. While the Magpies put six past Wealdstone and the Red Dragons scored three against Halifax, both recording wins, Town’s clinical edge was lacking and that is the difference between these promotion rivals so far. The gap to Notts is now eight points and the Blues can’t afford to allow that to get any bigger.

DEFENSIVE WOES

The three points were lost because of wasteful finishing in front of goal, but on a whole the Spireites have been vulnerable defensively this season. They have now conceded 21 goals which is the most out of anyone in the top nine, and three more than fourth from bottom Yeovil Town. The goal conceded was another from a counter-attack, which has been a recurring theme. Had it not been for some excellent saves from Ross Fitzsimons during injury-time they would have lost this one, when really they should have been two-nil up at the break. It felt like two points dropped because of the missed chances but also one point gained because they could have lost it late on. A win this Saturday against fifth-placed Boreham Wood and it will have been a seven point week which would be a good return.

COOK’S COMMENTS

In his post-match interview manager Paul Cook highlighted the need for incomings and outgoings. He said that nothing was close on either of those, but that they are looking. You would have to think a centre-back, ideally with Football League experience, would be a target to help shore up the back-line. With only three strikers on the books and two of those injured, another forward is also probably needed although Joe Quigley (hamstring) is not expected to be out for too long and could return this weekend. They did not have a recognised striker on the bench at York, Liam Mandeville has played there before in his career, but is now a regular starter out wide.

INJURY CONCERN

Ollie Banks limped off in the second-half with a hamstring injury and Cook said that it ‘did not look good’ so you would have to think that he is a doubt for Saturday’s match. That will be a big blow if he is out for a few weeks. With Tim Akinola away on international duty, it could mean a first start of the season for Tom Whelan in a Chesterfield shirt.

RESTED

Cook confirmed that Armando Dobra and Mandeville did not start because they were rested. He said the plan was to bring them on on 60 minutes to give the travelling fans a lift and hopefully win the game. Dobra has been out for eight weeks and started last Saturday against Bromley so it makes sense not to overload him too soon, while Mandeville looked ‘leggy’, Cook said. The fact that it is Saturday-Tuesday-Saturday for a couple of weeks now also came into Cook’s thinking.

TEAM

(4-1-4-1) Fitzsimons; King, Williams, Grimes, Horton; Jones; Uchegbulam (Mandeville, 68), Oldaker, Banks (Whelan, 63), Asante (Dobra, 68); Tshimanga. Unused subs: Cook, Cooper.