The big talking points from Chesterfield's draw against play-off rival Wrexham

The Spireites controlled large parts of the game at the Racecourse Ground and would have come away with all three points had they been more clinical.

However, after two straight defeats this was much more like it from James Rowe’s men and they can take a lot of heart from the peformance despite dropping out of the top seven for the first time since the end of March.

BUILDING BLOCK

Chesterfield created more and better chances and were untroubled for the majority of the game. Victories are all that matter at this stage of the season but the way they played is very encouraging and that is the biggest takeaway from the trip to Wales. On this evidence they will return to winning ways sooner rather than later. In previous games it has been the final pass that has let them down but here it was more the finishing. I thought they looked sharper, brighter and had more ideas in the final third. Their attacks looked a lot smoother, quicker and had more purpose. In the second-half they had Dean Keates’ men pinned in and it was one-way traffic, Fraser Kerr has an effort cleared off the line and Nathan Tyson went close twice. The clean sheet was welcome after conceding four goals in the previous two. It is a building block for the remainder of the season.

BIGGER PICTURE

The Spireites dropped out of the play-offs after this draw, falling to eighth, but there is no need to panic yet. After the Bank Holiday double-header against Hartlepool United and Torquay United, they have got ‘easier’ looking fixtures against Woking away and three home encounters in a row against King’s Lynn Town, Wealdstone and Dagenham and Redbridge. For me it is all about staying in the race in the next week or so and then hopefully finishing strongly to jump back into the top seven.

DANNY BOY

Danny Rowe made his debut after signing from Bradford City and showed his quality in flashes. He dropped deep and pulled the strings with some clever passes. On another day he could have claimed a couple of assists had Mitchell and Tyson been more clinical. His chipped pass for Mitchell’s chance was imaginative and is what the Spireites have been missing in recent weeks, while his laid a perfectly weighted ball into Tyson who shot straight at Rob Lainton. I liked what I saw.

REJUVENATED JOEL

Joel Taylor made an impact as a second-half substitute against Halifax and he was given his opportunity from the start against the Red Dragons and he took it. It has been a frustrating time for the full-back who had a double Covid setback at the start of the year and then he had to be patient due to the form of Alex Whittle. He was a threat going forwards, delivered some dangerous crosses and defended well. Boss Rowe singled him out for praise in his post-match interview and deservedly so. He was my man of the match.

TEAM

(3-4-1-2) Smith; Kerr, Gunning, Maguire; Carline, Weston, Oyeleke, Taylor; Clarke (Whelan, 72); Rowe, Mitchell (Tyson, 72). Unused subs: Yarney, Mandeville, Yussuf.