Perspective needed as injury-ravaged Chesterfield are pegged back late on by Altrincham

First-half strikes from Liam Mandeville and Kabongo Tshimanga had the Spireites in control at half-time.

But Matty Kosylo pulled a goal back late on before A-Jay Leitch-Smith netted beyond the four minutes of added time.

KEEP CALM

Despite dropping two points here, Town remain top of the league.

They are 10 unbeaten in all competitions, have gone 12 without defeat at home and have only lost one in 17 in the league and 19 in all competitions.

Only Solihull Moors in the current top seven won on the night so other results went their way as well.

PERSPECTIVE

The Blues’ form is even more impressive when you take into account their ridiculously long injury list which meant they could only name four substitutes for this fixture.

As many as 12 players were unavailable and a good chunk of them are regular starters and they are missing some leaders as well.

In the end, this game was just a step too far for the current group who have given everything for several weeks now.

At least they will be able to call upon Calvin Miller now his suspension is over.

MORE INJURY WOE

You couldn’t make this stuff up.

In his post-match interview James Rowe revealed that Jeff King is going to be out until at least the middle of January, if not longer, with a medial knee ligament injury, which he picked up in the win against Solihull Moors.

Manny Oyeleke, who has been nursing a calf problem, had to come off at half-time and Luke Croll went down injured towards the end. Both will be assessed ahead of Saturday.

When it rains, it pours.

OH MANDY

Mandeville, filling in at right wing-back for the injured King, was my man of the match.

He scored the first with a deflected strike from the edge of the box and his corner delivery led to the second goal.

He got up and down the flank all night, delivered dangerous crosses, tracked back and tackled. It was a complete performance from him.

Special mentions also to Curtis Weston, Saidou Khan and Alex Whittle who I thought were all excellent.

LATE HEARTBREAK

At two-nil up I thought Chesterfield were managing the game really well.

The hosts were keeping Altrincham at arm’s length and were seeing the game out professionally. Town were not offering much of a threat at the other end, but they were sticking to the task and seeing the match out nicely.

That was until Kosylo was given too much space to find the bottom corner to halve the deficit with six minutes left.

Flashbacks to Bromley and Torquay invaded the mind and unfortunately there is another to add to the list as Leitch-Smith struck with virtually the last kick of the game.

THE REF

Aaron Jackson was a bit ‘whistle happy’ throughout the game.

When he asked Mandeville to move the ball a centimetre before taking a free-kick you knew it was going to be a long night.

And so it proved when Altrincham scored well beyond the four minutes of added time.

TEAM

Loach; Williams, Grimes, Croll; Kellermann (Payne, 70), Weston, Oyeleke (McCourt, 46), Whittle; Mandeville, Khan (Tyson, 82); Tshimanga. Unused subs: Minter