Fleetwood Town extended a two-month unbeaten run away from home in dramatic fashion.
By David MitchellFleetwood Town extended a two-month unbeaten run away from home in dramatic fashion.
A late winner, courtesy of an own goal, which gave Town their fourth away win of the season, a 2-1 victory over Chesterfield.
Steven Gillespie had given Town an early lead but Chesterfield pegged them back with an excellent strike from Tendayi Darikwa just before half time. The win keeps Town in third place in the npower League 2.
Micky Mellon’s side showed two changes, both in midfield. Jamie McGuire and Alex Marrow replaced Damien Johnson, injured on Saturday against Wimbledon, and David Ball. Chesterfield’s line-up included Luis Boa Morte, the former Arsenal and Fulham striker, making his third appearance on loan.
After an opening period spent largely in maidfield, Junior Brown had a shot blocked in the fifth minute by Spireites skipper, Sam Hird. From the resulting corner on the left, the ball came to Gillespie who turned and fired a left foot shot past Richard O’Donnell from the edge of the penalty area, the striker’s fourth goal of the season and his second in three days. Town almost added a second four minutes later, Tom Barkhuizen just failing to get a firm touch following good build-up through midfield from Lee Fowler and McGuire. The visitors continued to press forward with Gillespie firing over and O’Donnell saving instinctively on the line from Youl Mawéné.
Brown, in his 50
th start for Town, was busy on the left but received a booking for a foul in the 11
th minute. Chesterfield came back strongly, Boa Morte finding space wide on the Chesterfield left to send in a low cross which Rob Edwards turned behind for a corner via Scott Davies’s right-hand post. Town retaliated with Terrell Forbes forced into a fine piece of defensive work to deny Barkhuizen.
Chesterfield’s defence looked shaky as Town continued to come forward. Fowler fed Barkhuizen whose cross just needed a team-mate in front of goal to finish the job. Much of Town’s work came down the right with Barkhuizen prominent and, three minutes later, the Blackpool loan player supplied again with Gillespie unable to capitalise in front of goal. Town were showing much more intent in the final third of the pitch than in the two recent home games and, increasingly, the home element of the 4372 crowd getting frustrated with their side and referee, Mr. Deadman.
On the verge of half time, Chesterfield levelled the scores with their first chance of the game. A long throw from the right was headed away by Gillespie. The clearance lacked distance and went straight to Darikwa who drove a spectacular volley past Davies to deny Town a half time lead which their efforts had deserved.
There was action at both ends as the second half started. Chesterfield had the better opportunities. Chris Atkinson delayed his shot and was driven wide out of danger while leading scorer, Jack Lester, was denied by the weight of Town numbers. Sam Togwell had a shot brilliantly saved by Davies in the 57
th minute, the goalkeeper reading the situation well. Barkhuizen was covering large swathes of ground, appearing in both defence and attack. Boa Morte, now on the right, set Drew Talbot off down the wing just before the hour, a tantalising cross from the full back narrowly eluding Togwell.
A clash of heads in the 60
th minute between Talbot and McGuire held up play, a chance for a welcome rest after a hectic period of action. David Ball came on for Barkhuizen in the 62
nd minute. Gillespie directed a right-foot shot straight at O’Donnell. Boa Morte nearly capitalised on a mistake from Fowler, floating in a ball which Atkinson just failed to get a head to. Jamie Milligan replaced Fowler after 69 minutes and was immediately on the ball, sending a free kick on to McGuire’s head, the midfielder caught offside. Hird climbed over McGuire on the half way line, coming off worse.
Spireites manager, Tommy Wright, made a double substitution after 77minutes with Nathan Smith and Marc Richards replacing Liam Ridehalgh and Danny Whittaker. A further change six minutes later saw Richards, out for a month with an ankle injury, replaced by Craig Westcarr. Westcarr could have struck the decisive blow for Chesterfield with five minutes left, forcing an excellent low save from Davies.
Chesterfield looked the side more likely to take the points as the game closed but Town showed character to take the lead themselves in the 88
th minute. A Milligan free kick was nodded on to the post by Mawéné. Chesterfield failed to clear the danger and Town pounced to force the error from Atkinson. It was Chesterfield’s second successive 2-1 home defeat and, for Town, the away days continue on Saturday at Rochdale.
Team: Davies, McLaughlin, Mawéné, Edwards, Howell, Marrow (Nicholson 90), McGuire (capt), Fowler (Milligan 69), Brown, Barkhuizen (Ball 62), Gillespie
Bookings: Brown, Edwards
