Chesterfield analysis: First penalty in 13 months secures FA Cup win against League One Stevenage

Lee Bonis scored a penalty, the first spot-kick for the Spireites in a meaningful game in 13 months, on the hour-mark after Dilan Markanday was tripped in the box and it proved to be the winner.

Stevenage, who are fourth in League One, had been unbeaten at home this season but the Blues put an end to that at the Lamex Stadium and progressed into the second round.

Town, who extended their unbeaten run to five matches in all competitions, collect £47,750 in prize money and go into the hat for Monday’s draw. They will now want to replicate this type of away performance in the league.

Chesterfield awarded first penalty in 13 months

This was Paul Cook’s 200th game in charge of Chesterfield in his second spell since returning to the club in February 2022. The Blues were without two key players in Ryan Stirk and Will Grigg but other than that they named a strong line-up.

The Spireites grew into the contest after being on the back-foot in the first 30 minutes. But they finished the half strongly, with Markanday having a shot cleared off the line by giant defender Dan Sweeney, and then Bonis found the net with a terrific looping header from John Fleck’s cross but the offside flag was up. Before that, they had failed to lay a glove on the hosts. Nothing was sticking up front and they could not keep possession.

However, they deserved credit for how they had defended their own box, with Kyle McFadzean making two timely interventions, as well as Lewis Gordon. In fairness, they had stopped Stevenage from a shot on target in the first 45. But they might have been a bit fortunate not to have given away at least one, maybe even two, penalties.

First, Jamie Reid took a tumble in the box after a tussle with Chey Dunkley, which resulted in a yellow card being shown to the striker for dissent. And then Jasper Pattenden thought he was about to be awarded a spot-kick after going over a dangling McFadzean leg, but referee Alan Young saw things differently and booked him for diving.

After weathering the Stevenage storm for half an hour, and perhaps getting some luck with some decisions, before ending the half with some chances of their own, they could be relatively pleased.

At the start of the second-half, James Berry swept over the bar from a low cross from Vontae Daley-Campbell when well-placed in the area. Soon after, Berry cleared a header from Carl Piergianni off the line and that proved crucial because Chesterfield took the lead on the hour when they were awarded their first penalty in 13 months after the bright Markanday collected a loose ball from Sweeney, drove into the box, before he was tripped by Piergianni. Bonis was made to wait but he kept his cool to tuck it home. If ever someone needed that, it was Bonis.

Stevenage tried to respond quickly but Zach Hemming made a smart save from Dan Kemp’s sweet strike from distance. With the hosts pushing men forward for an equaliser, that left gaps for the Blues to exploit and they were looking threatening on the counter-attack and the excellent Markanday almost grabbed a second on the break but was denied by a brilliant fingertip save by Filip Marschall.

Stevenage nearly equalised with seven minutes remaining in bizarre circumstances when Dunkley’s blocked header cannoned off his own crossbar. Chesterfield saw out six minutes of added time, thanks to a stunning save from Hemming to keep out Chem Campbell’s efffort in the last seconds, in an away performance that they will be keen to repeat on their travels in League Two.

Stevenage are where Spireites aspire to be

Stevenage manager Alex Revell signed a new five-year contract on the eve of this clash. The 42-year-old former Rotherham United striker has been rewarded for the impressive job he has done so far this season, leading them to fourth in League One, just two points off the top, and are unbeaten at home in the league, conceding the fewest number of goals (10) in the division. From the outside, it looks like they are punching above their weight and they are where the Spireites aspire to be.

The Boro, who had made it through to the second round in each of the last five years, made just three changes from their big league encounter against Bradford City last week, which showed they were not taking Chesterfield lightly.

Their football was simple but effective. In the first-half they kept the ball better than the Blues and they were a big threat from several crosses into the box. Piergianni came the closest for the home side, heading just wide from a Phoenix Patterson corner.

Stevenage will have wanted to have tested Hemming more throughout the clash. They piled on the pressure in the latter stages but Chesterfield stood strong. The Boro would not swap league places with the Spireites but it was Town’s day.

Chesterfield: Hemming; Daley-Campbell (Donacien, 84), Dunkley, McFadzean, Gordon; Fleck, Naylor, Mandeville (Duffy, 68); Markanday, Berry (Darcy, 68); Bonis.

Unused subs: Boot, Tanton, Grimes, Lewis, Cook, Dickson.