Sky Bet League Two
Saturday 7th April 2018
'Oh we do like to be beside the seaside'...
... that's a phrase which no Chesterfield fan will be saying tonight after their trip to the East Lincolnshire coastline ended in bitter disappointment this afternoon as Grimsby Town hammered another nail into the Spireites' relegation coffin.
Jack Lester's team only have themselves to blame, in all honestly, as Drew Talbot paid the penalty for a careless handball in the dying minutes and presented the Mariners with the perfect opportunity to record their first success in 21 attempts.
If you're going to handle the ball then it's a good idea not to do it inside your own area and only a few yards away from the referee, who had a clear and unobstructed view. It was a definite penalty and an absolute sucker-punch of huge proportions given the uphill task that now faces the Spireites.
Large parts of this encounter was the turgid, predictable affair that many may have feared with nerves getting in the way of any quality. If there wasn't so much at stake for both sides, and the game had been sandwiched in obscurity in the middle of the season, it's one that wouldn't be remembered for too long afterwards.
A generous writer would use the description 'both teams nullified each other's attacking threat' but a more accurate description, and somewhat closer to the truth, would be that both teams were utterly useless going forward - especially in open play - and a more potent team towards the top of the table would have cut through either side to record an easy three points.
The Spireites, who have shown glimpses of encouragement in recent weeks, knocked the ball about the better of the two teams but despite working it into good areas on at least half a dozen occasions, only Andy Kellett (once signed by Manchester United on transfer deadline day) actually produced a decent save from Mariners 'keeper James McKeown.
Every other shot was basically a pea-roller and if you're going to survive at any level of football, the minimum requirement in doing so is to at least test the bloody opposition goalkeeper.
Grimsby shaded proceedings after the re-start and backed by a noisy home crowd who were growing in confidence, they were unlucky not to break the deadlock close to the hour mark when Nathan Clarke went close with a header and the Spireites survived a goalmouth scramble.
Mariners' boss Michael Jolley's substitutions seemed to indicate he was more happy to settle for a point rather than go gung-ho to get a victory, yet with a stalemate seeming the most likely outcome, Talbot's rush of the blood to the head presented the hosts with three points on a silver plateau.
The result now, bizarrely, leaves Grimsby on the brink of safety. A win over Barnet next weekend would pretty much guarantee survival - barring a freak set of results elsewhere between now and the end of the campaign.
Chesterfield, meanwhile, are left with the proverbial mountain to climb and on today's showing there's little evidence to suggest that their fortunes are about to change.
With three promotion-chasing teams still left to play, the proverbial fat lady is searching for her songbook...
'Oh we do like to be beside the seaside'...
 |
| The two teams line-up before the game |
... that's a phrase which no Chesterfield fan will be saying tonight after their trip to the East Lincolnshire coastline ended in bitter disappointment this afternoon as Grimsby Town hammered another nail into the Spireites' relegation coffin.
Jack Lester's team only have themselves to blame, in all honestly, as Drew Talbot paid the penalty for a careless handball in the dying minutes and presented the Mariners with the perfect opportunity to record their first success in 21 attempts.
If you're going to handle the ball then it's a good idea not to do it inside your own area and only a few yards away from the referee, who had a clear and unobstructed view. It was a definite penalty and an absolute sucker-punch of huge proportions given the uphill task that now faces the Spireites.
 |
| Blundell Park - the ground that time forgot! |
Large parts of this encounter was the turgid, predictable affair that many may have feared with nerves getting in the way of any quality. If there wasn't so much at stake for both sides, and the game had been sandwiched in obscurity in the middle of the season, it's one that wouldn't be remembered for too long afterwards.
A generous writer would use the description 'both teams nullified each other's attacking threat' but a more accurate description, and somewhat closer to the truth, would be that both teams were utterly useless going forward - especially in open play - and a more potent team towards the top of the table would have cut through either side to record an easy three points.
 |
| The 1,400 travelling fans deserved better |
The Spireites, who have shown glimpses of encouragement in recent weeks, knocked the ball about the better of the two teams but despite working it into good areas on at least half a dozen occasions, only Andy Kellett (once signed by Manchester United on transfer deadline day) actually produced a decent save from Mariners 'keeper James McKeown.
Every other shot was basically a pea-roller and if you're going to survive at any level of football, the minimum requirement in doing so is to at least test the bloody opposition goalkeeper.
Grimsby shaded proceedings after the re-start and backed by a noisy home crowd who were growing in confidence, they were unlucky not to break the deadlock close to the hour mark when Nathan Clarke went close with a header and the Spireites survived a goalmouth scramble.
 |
| A view from the Upper Tier |
Mariners' boss Michael Jolley's substitutions seemed to indicate he was more happy to settle for a point rather than go gung-ho to get a victory, yet with a stalemate seeming the most likely outcome, Talbot's rush of the blood to the head presented the hosts with three points on a silver plateau.
The result now, bizarrely, leaves Grimsby on the brink of safety. A win over Barnet next weekend would pretty much guarantee survival - barring a freak set of results elsewhere between now and the end of the campaign.
Chesterfield, meanwhile, are left with the proverbial mountain to climb and on today's showing there's little evidence to suggest that their fortunes are about to change.
With three promotion-chasing teams still left to play, the proverbial fat lady is searching for her songbook...
 |
| A highlight of a trip to the seaside |
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| The best pre-match snack of the season |
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| Some seats in Blundell Park are better than others... |
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| The Pontoon End |
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| One team will probably be in League Two next season... |
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