Chesterfield pegged back late on by Bromley in draw - story of the match
Chesterfield had to settle for a point after being pegged back late on to draw 2-2 at Bromley.
Michael Cheek continued his remarkable goalscoring run against the Spireites when he netted on 16 minutes but Armando Dobra equalised six minutes before half-time with his fourth of the season.
Dobra then teed-up Liam Mandeville on 67 minutes to score on his 250th league appearance for Town after Bromley played themselves into trouble at the back.
But The Ravens levelled on 79 minutes when Chey Dunkley headed into his own net from Mitch Pinnock’s corner.
Most Blues fans would have probably taken a point before the game but having led with just over 20 minutes remaining they will be disappointed not to have collected all three. But the scoreline was probably a fair one, with the Spireites scoring with both of their shots on target, and conceding two from set-pieces.
The result means Chesterfield are winless in four in the league and five in all competitions but they remain in the play-offs.
TEAM NEWS
Paul Cook made three changes from the 1-1 draw against MK Dons with Ryan Stirk, Mandeville and Will Grigg coming in for John Fleck, Dilan Markanday and Lee Bonis. James Berry was included in the squad for the first time since re-signing on loan from Wycombe Wanderers and he came on in the second-half. There was no substitute goalkeeper on the bench with Ryan Boot missing. Adam Lewis was also left out.
Bromley had two former Spireites in goalkeeper Grant Smith and striker Marcus Dinanga in their squad.
FIRST HALF
Nicke Kabamba, who once scored a hat-trick against Chesterfield for Barnet, produced the game’s first shot on target from distance but goalkeeper Zach Hemming was equal to it.
Hemming’s next save was more testing as he smartly kept out a close-range half-volley from Marcus Ifill.
The Ravens took the lead on 16 minutes when Town failed to clear their lines from a free-kick and Cheek’s improvised finish looped in. The goal was a bit unfortunate from a Spireites perspective with Dunkley’s attempted headed clearance deflecting into Cheek’s path off Kyle Cameron. That was his 12th goal against Chesterfield in 16 appearances.
The Blues have struggled to create chances of late and that was the case for the majority of the first-half and they never looked like scoring.
But they equalised on 39 minutes when Hemming’s long kick was brilliantly held-up by Grigg who then pulled the ball back to Dobra on the edge of the box who composed himself before firing in his fourth goal of the season. That was Chesterfield’s first shot on target.
SECOND HALF
It was a scrappy start to the second-half but Dunkley made a great block from Ben Krauhaus and then from the resulting corner Cameron lashed over from close-range. Soon after, Vontae Daley-Campbell threw himself at Pinnock’s drilled shot which looked to be heading on target. Hemming then made another good save when he reacted quickly to deny Cheek from a few yards out after Pinnock’s deflected cross from the left.
Down the other end, Mandeville, on his 250th league appearance for Chesterfield, but first league start of this campaign, almost scored direct from a corner but Smith managed to get fingertips on it to claw it away.
But Mandeville did score on 67 minutes when Bromley got themselves into a mess at the back and that allowed Grigg to pounce before Dobra teed-up Mandeville to slot in and put them in front with just their second shot on target.
Dobra and substitute Markanday had close-range shots blocked as Chesterfield searched for a third to put the game to bed in the latter stages.
But they were pegged back from another set-piece with 10 minutes remaining when Dunkley headed into his own net from an inswinging Pinnock corner.
Berry had a dangerous late shot blocked, while Deji Elerewe glanced a header just wide for Bromley, before Berry went close again with a free-kick, but the points were shared.
Chesterfield: Hemming; Daley-Campbell (Tanton, 75), Dunkley, McFadzean, Gordon; Naylor, Stirk; Mandeville (Markanday, 75), Darcy (Dickson, 83), Dobra (Berry, 83); Grigg (Bonus, 75)
Unused subs: Grimes, Fleck