County earn vital point
Manager Justin Edinburgh included four changes to the team that lost to Portsmouth last Saturday. Suspensions to Adam Chapman and Darcy Blake meant that there was place in the starting eleven for Ismail Yakubu and Max Porter. Ryan Jackson and Shaun Jeffers also came into the starting line-up at the expense of Tom Naylor and Danny Crow.
County travelled to the Proact Stadium less than a week after Chesterfield's defeat to Peterborough in the Johnstone Paint Trophy Final and with the home side occupying third place in League Two.
County started the game the brightest, with them taking the first real opportunity go the game as Shaun Jeffers found space to launch a curling shot on the edge of the home sides area that went narrowly past the post.
Chesterfield soon responded and drew a fine save off County's loanee goalkeeper Ian McLoughlin, who managed to get down well low to his left to steer an attempt for the home side around the post.
County responded immediately, with Shaun Jeffers finding some space behind the Chesterfield's defence and launching a fierce volley that was saved impressively by Lee.
As the second half began the home side started to apply more pressure on the County defence. The deadlock was broken after forty-seven minutes when Jimmy Ryan squeezed the ball over Ian McLoughlin and into the top corner of the goal from sixteen yards out with a cross-come-shot
After the goal the County defence had to withstand more pressure from the home side. Chesterfield striker Eoin Doyle had to goals disallowed within sixty seconds for offside and there was a chance for substitute striker Marc Richards to extend the lead, after being played one-on-one with McLoughlin. The Chesterfield striker attempted to lob McLoughlin, but the County keeper stood tall and gracefully caught his attempt.
County replaced both Zebroski and Jeffers with Jolley and Howe, a move of intent from Justin Edinburgh demonstrating how much he wanted to pick up a result at the Proact Stadium. In the eighty-third minute his attacking changes paid off, as skipper Mike Flynn advanced into the Chesterfield area before teeing up Max Porter who precisely slotted his effort into the bottom corner off the net from eighteen yards.
Neither side created anymore changes and the game ended 1–1, a fair reflection on the game. After the game County manager Justin Edinburgh said;
"I thought it was a spirited display and we showed good character. After they scored what was a fortunate goal for me, I don't think the lad Ryan meant to do that, we had a little spell where we were lucky to stay in the game. Once we got through that spell I thought that we might take something out of the game"
"We started the game well and I thought that young Shaun Jeffers came in and caused them some problems. We look like causing a threat and were composed at the back. To concede the goal as quickly as we did in the second half really put us on the back foot."
"Max has worked extremely hard this year and has had a lot of setbacks with injuries but he's come up with a really cruicial goal here today."
Final Score: 1-1
County: McLoughlin, Hughes, Porter, Yakubu, Minshull (Naylor), Zebroski (Howe), Willmott, Jeffers (Jolley), Flynn (Capt.), Jackson, Feely
Subs: Pipe, Sandell, Burge, Naylor, Jolley, Holloway, Howe
Att: 5,659 (204 County)