'Fitzsimons' penalty save was sod's law': six talking points from Chesterfield's defeat to Notts County

Spireites striker Scott Boden’s 40th minute penalty was saved by ex-Town loanee Ross Fitzsimons and then Couny punished them after the break with two goals from Kyle Wootton and one from Enzio Boldewijn.

Here are six talking points from the game:

Scott Boden’s penalty miss

The Spireites had a great chance to take the lead five minutes before half-time when David Buchanan was dragged down in the box and referee James Bell pointed to the spot.

But Boden, without a goal since November 30, saw his soft penalty easily saved by Fitzsimons who dived low to his left.

Had Boden converted it would have given the visitors something to hold on to but it was not to be and County punished them after the break.

Ross Fitzsimons

John Pemberton said it was “sod’s law” that Fitzsimons denied Boden from the spot and then later produced a stunning one-handed save to stop Buchanan’s long-range strike from finding the top corner.

Fitzsimons had joined the Spireites on loan in January until the end of the season but it was cut short after just one week when he was needed back at Meadow Lane due to an injury to County keeper Sam Slocombe.

At Thursday’s pre-match press conference Pemberton said he was hopeful of bringing Fitzimons back to the Proact and that a deal could be finalised by the end of this week.

But given his excellent performance against on Saturday that might prove more difficult and Magpies boss Neal Ardley may want him to stay now.

Goals conceded

Pemberton said he was “disappointed” with the three goals that were conceded in the second-half because they were all preventable and stuff they had worked on in training.

The caretaker boss was unhappy at how Sam Wedgbury tried to win a ball on the halfway line that he did not need to. Boldewijn turned him easily and carried the ball forward and drilled a shot into the top corner from 25 yards to give Notts the lead.

Pemberton was also not pleased with how Chesterfield failed to stop a cross from the right from Cal Roberts and Wootton got the wrong side of Haydn Hollis to stoop in a header from six yards to make it 2-0.

And for the third goal Josef Yarney allowed Boldewijn to come inside on his right foot and his shot from the edge of the box was fumbled by Shwan Jalal and Wootton tapped home to wrap up the three points.

Superb away support

More than 1,400 Spireites made the trip to Meadow Lane and deserved better from their team.

It might not be a million miles away but to take that amount of support for a televised game at 5.20pm when struggling near the bottom of the table was a top effort.

They gave great backing and in the 25th minute they sang the name of former Chesterfield player Jordan Sinnott, who died last weekend, loud and proud.

Three points from safety

It is still very tight at the bottom but Eastleigh and Maidenhead United have pulled seven clear of Town with their wins on Saturday.

Pemberton says all the game between now and the end of the season are “massive” and next weekend’s home clash against Wrexham is certainly a huge one.

The Spireites will have the chance to go within two points of their opponents with a win and drag them right into the relegation mix.

Mike Fondop and Nathan Tyson

Fondop returns from a three-match suspension for the Wrexham game and Tyson will be available again after being unable to play against County due to the terms of his loan deal.

Pemberton mentioned Fondop and Tyson in his post-match interview so it would not be a surprise to see them both start.