Chesterfield's play-off hopes hang in balance after goalless draw at AFC Wimbledon - report
Chesterfield’s play-off hopes hang in the balance after a 0-0 draw at promotion-chasing AFC Wimbledon.
The result cuts the gap to the play-offs from four points to three with three games remaining after Grimsby Town, who started the day seventh, lost at home to Swindon Town, but the Spireites could not take full advantage. By Easter Monday it will become clear whether this is a good point or a missed opportunity. It was a tight clash at Plough Lane with few clear chances and a point apiece was probably a fair outcome.
There were four changes from the win against Fleetwood Town as Harvey Araujo was handed his first start since December after recovering from injury. He came in along with Tom Naylor, Ollie Banks and Bim Pepple. Out went Lewis Gordon, Ryan Colclough, Will Grigg and the injured Armando Dobra.
Chesterfield controlled possession in the first-half and they went close to scoring twice when Pepple forced a fingertip save from Owen Goodman and then Liam Mandeville should have headed them in front from six-yards out but he glanced wide from Michael Olakigbe’s cross. But it had been a familiar story for the Blues when it came to injuries, with Banks hobbling off just before half-time and being replaced by Paddy Madden.
The powerful, towering and physical hosts had been a threat on the counter-attack but they had been reduced to half chances for Matty Stevens and James Tiley before Omar Bugiel’s header brought a smart reaction save out of Ryan Boot just before half-time.
The game was in the balance on the hour-mark after an even start to the second-half with Wimbledon’s main threat coming from the long throws of Riley Harbottle.
With 20 minutes remaining there had still not been any clear chances for either side, who were both guilty of letting sloppiness creep in, but it remained a very watchable clash with a lot on the line.
Boot was required to tip over an ambitious lob frob from Osman Foyo in the last 10 minutes. Chesterfield could not create anything of note themselves in the latter stages and the points were shared, which may or may not do either team any favours.
Chesterfield: Boot; Mandeville, Palmer, McFadzean, Araujo (Gordon, 60); Fleck, Metcalfe, Naylor; Banks (Madden, 43), Pepple (Colclough, 60), Olakigbe (Grigg, 81).
Unused subs: Thompson, Grimes, Duffy.