Chesterfield held to frustrating draw by Cheltenham Town - report

Dilan Markanday put the Spireites in front on 27 minutes after excellent work from James Berry but the Robins equalised early after the break after Arkell Jude-Boyd took advantage of a mistake from Ryan Boot.

Both teams had late chances to win it but the points were shared as Town drew 1-1 at home for the third time already this season.

It means it is two wins, three draws and two defeats from the Blues’ first seven games back at this level as they continue to learn all about this division.

Paul Cook made two changes from the disappointing 1-0 defeat to Port Vale with Darren Oldaker returning from suspension to replace Ollie Banks, while Kane Drummond was handed his first league start in place of the injured Will Grigg. The options off the bench were very strong, with John Fleck, Liam Mandeville, Ryan Colclough and Paddy Madden all included.

The first-half was a sleepy affair with not many chances. As has been the case for all but one of Chesterfield’s league games so far, it was tight and tense.

The Spireites had 65% possession but a lot of it was in their own half as they struggled to find their passes into midfield, leading to possession being lost, which left Cook with his head in his hands at times, as he urged his team to calm down and not force it.

It looked like only a mistake or a moment of quality would open the scoring and both happened when the Spireites went ahead on 27 minutes. Cheltenham’s Matty Taylor slipped as he tried to clear the ball and Berry took full advantage as he superbly dribbled his way to the byline before having the composure to pick out Markanday for a simple finish from five yards out for his second goal for the club.

Armando Dobra had been bright and he had a half chance early on and later tested goalkeeper Owen Evans from distance. He should also have done better after some smart initial approach play but he opted to go for goal himself from a tight angle rather than squaring for Berry. Other than that, there had not been a great deal to get excited about.

As for Cheltenham, Luke Young tried to catch Boot out at his near post from a wide free-kick which the Town stopper was equal to, while Taylor also headed over.

Early after the break, Drummond had a close-range shot well-blocked after Markanday found him with a low cross and then Dobra’s appeal for a penalty fell on deaf ears as he went over in the box.

The Robins equalised on 53 minutes when Boot failed to deal with a long ball forward after rushing off his line and Jude-Boyd nipped in ahead of him to make it 1-1. It was a goal out of nothing and very soft.

The visitors had a spring in their step and they should have taken the lead on the hour-mark but on-loan Cardiff City man Joel Colwil struck wide at the near post after being teed up by Ethon Archer.

With 20 minutes remaining, Cook made two changes with Harvey Araujo and Colclough replacing Jenson Metcalfe and Berry. That meant that Araujo partnered Chey Dunkley in central defence and Tom Naylor moved into midfield.

Dobra missed a glorious chance with 12 minutes remaining after Colclough teed him up but he side-footed wide from 12 yards. Everyone waited for the net to bulge but it didn’t.

Chesterfield started to apply some more pressure, with Markanday going close, which was the end of his afternoon as he and Drummond came off for Mandeville and Madden, for his debut.

There were late chances for both teams to win with Dobra blazing over for the hosts, while Liam Dulson poked wide when through on goal for Cheltenham but it finished 1-1.

Chesterfield: Boot; Tanton, Naylor, Dunkley, Gordon; Oldaker, Metcalfe (Araujo, 69); Markanday (Mandeville, 81), Dobra, Berry (Colclough, 69); Drummond (Madden, 81).

Unused subs: Thompson, Fleck, Jacobs