Big talking points from Chesterfield's win against Aldershot Town as Kabongo Tshimanga marks debut with goal

Chesterfield began the new National League season with a 2-0 win at Aldershot Town on Saturday.
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Danny Rowe tucked away a penalty 18 minutes from time after Jeff King was fouled in the area before Kabongo Tshimanga marked his debut with a classy finish four minutes later.

PERFECT START

Three points, a clean sheet and your high-profile summer signing scoring on his debut was a perfect way for the Spireites to start the season.

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In the end it was a deserved win in what was a professional away performance.

For the first 25 minutes Aldershot were the brighter side but for all their territory and set-pieces they did not create a lot, while the Blues could not get into their rhythm and gave away sloppy possession and cheap fouls.

The visitors finished the opening 45 strongly with Jamie Grimes and Tshimanga going close and they carried on where they left off in the second-half as they pinned the hosts in.

Jack Clarke replaced Liam Mandeville early on and he and Rowe started to have an influence, while Weston and Manny Oyeleke provided the barrier to stop the hosts from countering.

Kabongo Tshimanga celebrates his debut goal. Picture: Tina Jenner.Kabongo Tshimanga celebrates his debut goal. Picture: Tina Jenner.
Kabongo Tshimanga celebrates his debut goal. Picture: Tina Jenner.
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Grimes had a goal ruled out for offside and then Tshimanga had a sighter before they were awarded a penalty when King was clearly bundled over in the area. Rowe was never going to miss.

And before the celebrations in the away end had settled down, Chesterfield had a second when Tshimanga expertly slotted in.

WHO NEEDS MESSI WHEN YOU’VE GOT KABONGO?

It is probably fair to say that the Spireites faithful have already fallen in love with their new striker.

His debut goal was that of a natural finisher and you can see why he has scored almost 40 in this league in the last two seasons.

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The way he outmuscled his marker and calmy rolled the ball across goalkeeper Mitch Walker into the net was a perfect example of why they paid a fee for him.

Throughout the game he made some intelligent, darting runs and his hold-up play was good too.

‘Wake me up before you go-go who needs Messi when you’ve got Kabongo’ rang out from the 600 travelling away fans. I’ve got a feeling they will be singing that quite a lot this season.

LEFTIES

Chesterfield line-up with three left-footed centre-halves in Grimes, Gavin Gunning and Laurence Maguire.

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Defensively they were solid but having a left-footer on the right did hamper their ability to play out from the back, particularly in the first 45.

Once fully fit Fraser Kerr or George Carline might get the nod for that slot, especially at the Technique, but Grimes deserves credit for sticking at it and for his aerial dominance.

COMPETITION

Before the game there were a few ‘who do you think will play there’ type of questions.

In the end, Weston got the nod over Saidou Khan and Mandeville instead of Clarke.

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Those debates will rumble on throughout the season given the squad they have got.

Melvin Minter, Alex Whittle, Jak McCourt and Nathan Tyson did not even make the 16, which just shows the strength in depth they have.

TEAM

(3-4-1-2) Loach; Grimes, Gunning (c), Maguire; King (Carline, 75), Oyeleke (Khan, 81), Weston, Miller; Mandeville (Clarke, 54); Rowe, Tshimanga.