Chesterfield roll back the years as Paul Cook's tactical masterclass puts Wrexham to the sword

It is early days, but Chesterfield put down a marker against title favourites Wrexham with a deserved 2-0 win at the Technique Stadium on Tuesday night.

The goals came in the first-half through Jeff King and Ollie Banks.

Let’s take a look at some of the talking points from the game...

COMPLETE PERFORMANCE

This was the Spireites’ most complete performance for a good few years, perhaps since Pauk Cook was last at the club. The attacking, fast-flowing football got the fans out of their seats, while the players stood up to the long throws and the corners down the other end.

The most pleasing part for me was how much Town wanted it more than Wrexham. The desire to win every ball was through the roof. They played in a manner which, as a supporter, you would want to see in a derby match. It was a thunderous performance on a stormy night.

Cook got his tactics spot on and the players carried the game-plan out perfectly. The balance between attack and defence was excellent. The fitness levels, consistent line-ups in pre-season and patterns of play came to fruition and it paid off in style. Chesterfield blew Wrexham away, the visitors had no answers.

The Spireites rolled back the years with a Cook masterclass, as well as giving a glimpse into what the future could look like. It was Cook-ball at its finest.

THE GOALS

All five of Chesterfield’s goals this season have come from different scorers, which is an encouraging sign. The first one had been in the making from the very start of pre-season as King and Liam Mandeville exchanged passes down the right before the former cut inside and finished low into the net. Those two have linked-up really well recently and they have been threatening that type of goal for a few weeks.

The second owed everything to the hard-work of Armando Dobra, who pinched the ball off goalkeeper Mark Howard before squaring for Banks to finish. Again, a different type of goal, but one with Cook’s fingerprints all over it.

When everything comes together in one performance like this it must give you so much belief as a player. There is a long way to go, but it is hard not to get excited.

PARTNERSHIPS

There are partnerships being formed all over the pitch, but one we have not spoken about yet is the one between Tyrone Williams and Jamie Grimes. They were both outstanding against two top strikers at this level.

If they go on to become Chesterfield’s main centre-back pairing for the rest of the season, then this will be the game everyone will look back on and think ‘that’s when it started.’

MOTM

You could make a case for pretty much anyone to have been named man of the match.

Ross Fitzsimons was a commanding and confident presence in net, King (who got my pick) was relentless at both ends of the pitch and scored a great goal, Williams and Grimes were a rock, Mandeville was a workhorse (again), Darren Oldaker was a machine, Banks was tenacious and finished well for his goal and Dobra (just pipped for my vote) did not give Wrexham a minute’s piece. I could go on. They were all brilliant.

FEET ON FLOOR

That’s the thing, isn’t it? There are still 43 games to go, not three. After what happened last season I don’t think anyone will be getting carried away, especially Cook. He is far too experienced. This league can bite you when you least expect it, we all know that. The key now is to stay grounded and build on this performance and not to get too down when they do lose a game.

ONE LAST THING

Chesterfield put in that type of performance with last season’s top goalscorer and player of the year, Kabongo Tshimanga, and the very talented Jack Clarke, as unused substitutes. Crikey.

TEAM

Fitzsimons, King, Williams, Grimes, Horton; Oldaker, Banks; Mandeville, Dobra (Cooper, 82), Asante (Jones, 82); Quigley. Unused subs: Maguire, Clarke, Tshimanga.