Chesterfield slip to second in the table after goal-fest

Further goals from Joe Green and Mike Fearn were not enough for all three points as an enthralling match ended in a 5-5 draw.

The result leaves the Derbyshire side trailing leaders Hampton-in-Arden by a point, with the two sides meeting on the 14th January when the league season returns after the Christmas break.

It was a performance that left player-coach Ben Lamb cold: “I’m bitterly disappointed with the way we played.

“We let ourselves down and blew the chance we had to top the league at Christmas. Yes, we had some big calls go against us today but we need to regroup, get back to basics and go again. We can’t dwell on it. We’ll need to train hard over the break and be fit and ready in January”.

As entertaining as the game was for the neutral observer, it was certainly no advert for the art of defending.

The 4-2 half time score told its own story – with Chesterfield guilty of conceding two preventable goals. Jarzembowski struck first through a penalty corner, then from open play with a neat lob.

Mike Fearn atoned for an earlier miss by scoring with a low shot across the ‘keeper before Joe Green bagged his first of the season with a composed finish at the far post.

The goal was a just reward for the Sheffield Hallam student Green, who has shown excellent form after forcing his way back into the side. Further chances came and went for the visitors - Joe Morton almost marked his return from injury with a goal, but the teenager was inches away from connecting with Jarzembowski’s cross.

Despite the score line the home side continued to apply pressure to an increasingly stretched Chesterfield defence.

The second half, in truth, belonged to Streetly. Two quick fire goals drew the scores level to leave Chesterfield rocking at the back, with man of the match Josh Brocklehurst desperately trying to hold the back four together. Chesterfield had to contend with both Damian Jarzembowski and Andy Hodgson in the sin bin at the same time, leaving them with nine men for a period.

Although looking more like a side near the bottom of the table; Chesterfield dug in and looked to have secured a barely deserved win when Jarzembowski completed his hat-trick with a penalty corner strike.

It was not to be however as Streetly refused to be beaten and snatched an equaliser at the death to leave the final score at 5-5.

The match marked midfielder Andy Hodsgons last game for the club before departing for Tasmania in January. Skipper Chris Battye paid tribute to the playmaker – “It’s going to be really hard to replace Andy, he’s been brilliant for us this season and showed real leadership on and off the pitch. We’ll need to work hard to try and bring in some players before the January deadline but we’ll leave no stone unturned”.