Proud Chesterfield academy coach hails 'great night' as trio make debuts in FA Trophy

Academy prospects Jack Dolman, George Wilkinson and Alexander Duhameau all started in the 3-1 defeat.

Adam Blakeley, Sam Hooper and Luke Mitchell came off the bench in the second-half.

Youngster Connor Cook, son of manager Paul, who is not in the academy, also started.

“It has been a great night for our academy as a whole,” Cluxton said.

"I think it is good for our recruitment, if we can show players that the pathway exists at this club, then it is only good for recruitment.”

Wilkinson was credited with the Spireites’ equaliser, although it may have been an own goal.

Cluxton was full of praise for the centre-back and said he was ‘superb’ and that he ‘did not put a foot wrong.’

On whether Wilkinson is claiming the goal, Cluxton added: “I have just had a look at the video and I am not exactly sure if he got it or if it brushed off him. George has been with us since he was probably eight-years-old so he has come all the way through so it is fantastic for him. I hope he is going to claim it!”

Another player who caught the eye, particularly in the first-half, was left winger Duhameau, who is believed to have previously been at both Sheffield Wednesday and Sheffield United before joining Chesterfield when he was 15.

“He had a great game, he made a few runs in the first-half, I think he got cramp in the last five minutes but that is testament to how hard he worked,” Cluxton said.

"He has been fantastic for us now for 18 months. He is extremely hard-working. He can play in numerous positions. He plays as a centre-forward for the youth team. He is so positive, he gets the ball and he goes forward and I think he is the kind of player that the Chesterfield crowd will warm to because of his attitude. Hopefully he has got a bright future. He has had a couple of knock-backs but you can see with his performance tonight that he has got a hunger and desire to succeed.”

Left-back Dolman could also hold his head up high at full-time.

Cluxton said: "Jack Dolman did really well at left-back. He had a few decisions to make in the first-half and he was getting a lot of information but in the second-half he settled down and I thought he was great.

"The three lads who came on did great as well.

"It was great for the lads who did not get on as well, just being part of the occasion. We are very thankful to the gaffer and the first-team staff for giving them the opportunity.

"I think the lads have learned from it, the result has not gone their way, but the attitude that they displayed throughout the evening has been first-class.”

Cluxton added that highly-rated striker Laken Torres, who was the academy’s player of the year last season, was not available.

"Laken is still with us, he is training really hard and I am sure he will get the opportunity at some point in the future,” he said.