The big talking points from Chesterfield's history-making win against Maidstone United

Kabongo Tshimanga’s opener on 82 minutes was cancelled out six minutes later by James Alabi at the Gallagher Stadium on Saturday.

But Darren Oldaker hit the winner with just seconds remaining of four minutes of added time.

The Spireites’ 10-game unbeaten start to the campaign is the best in the club’s history and breaks the nine-match run set in 1935.

Let’s take a look at some of the big talking points from the game…

SIGN OF...CHAMPIONS?

Whisper it quietly, and I mean quietly, but you know what they say about teams that win matches when not at their best. There is a long, long way to go, but Chesterfield have collected four points from the last two after not playing to the levels we know they can. They have shown a different side to their game, and I like it.

START JEZ?

Calls for Jesurun Uchegbulam to be handed his first start are growing louder and you can understand why. The lightning quick winger came off the bench to once again make a positive impact and help swing the game in Chesterfield’s favour. By now you will all have probably seen the highlights for the winning goal which show ‘Jez’ giving his marker a clean pair of heels after shifting the ball from his right foot to his left in a blink of an eye before delivering the ball into the box. There are not many players in the division who could have done that, in my opinion. The youngster is exciting, fearless and unpredictable and the question on everyone’s lips now is, does he start against Maidenhead United this Saturday? On paper it seems like a decent fixture for him to make his first start as Alan Devonshire’s men will come and play a low block and it will be hard to break them down. But, on the flip side, could he be the perfect substitute against tired legs? Either way, it won’t be long before he is starting games if he continues this form.

CASE FOR TWO UP TOP?

Tshimanga is yet to start a game this season but he still has three goals, all of which have come in his last three appearances. This was his first outing since his proposed deadline day move to Birmingham City fell through and he provided another reminder, not that what we needed one, of his deadly finishing ability in front of goal. In a tight game that was heading for a goalless draw, the 25-year-old found half a yard of space in the box and arrowed a shot into the bottom corner. One chance, one goal, that is what he does.

We may only be able to enjoy watching ‘Kabs’ until January if Birmingham or another club come back in for him so it would be wise to make the most of him while he is still here. The ‘problem’ is the 4-2-3-1 has been working so well and Joe Quigley plays the lone striker role brilliantly. Tshimanga does not suit one of three attacking positions behind the striker so the only obvious answer is to play two strikers, as Town did for the last 20-odd minutes at the Gallagher Stadium. But, as first-team coach Gary Roberts has said before, the patterns of play have not been the same playing this way, although that is not to say they can’t work on it. Trying to fit a 25-goal striker into your unbeaten in 10, top of the table team is not a bad problem to have!

TO THE WIRE

People don’t tend to look at the league table or take it too seriously until the first 10 games of the season are in the bag and we have now reached that point. The good news is Chesterfield are top, are unbeaten, are playing some attractive football and have 12 different goalscorers already. The bad news is Wrexham and Notts County have also got off to a flyer. It is hard to believe that the Spireites are only one point clear of second-placed Wrexham and three ahead of Notts after such a good start but that probably suggests that nobody is going to run away with it this year and top spot will go right to the wire.

HOME COMFORTS

Chesterfield’s start to the season is more impressive because six of their 10 games have been on the road. But five of the next seven league matches are at the Technique so this next run of fixtures presents an opportunity to put the foot to the floor and try and open up a gap at the top.

TEAM

Covolan, King, Williams, Grimes, Horton; Oldaker, Banks; Mandeville, Asante (Tshimanga, 70), Miller (Uchegbulam, 76); Quigley. Unused subs: Maguire, Akinola, Cooper.