Why Chesterfield midfielder was not named in squad against Barrow
John Fleck missed Chesterfield’s opening day win against Barrow due to a rib injury.
The midfielder was a surprise absentee from the squad as the Spireites started the new campaign with a 1-0 victory thanks to Dilan Markanday’s deflected first-half header. The 33-year-old had featured heavily in pre-season and would have likely started but he was not named in the matchday 18.
“Cracked rib,” said assistant manager Danny Webb when asked about Fleck. “It is one of them where if he gets another whack on it again not only could it cause more damage but it would be extremely painful. I think that is an ongoing assessment. I would probably rule him out for the next couple of weeks.”
It was a tight, cagey contest against a well-drilled Barrow side but Chesterfield found the breakthrough just before half-time when Dylan Duffy’s cross from the left was headed in by Markanday via a deflection off former Spireite Charlie Raglan.
On the performance, Webb said: “It was important today that we got the win. We would all take 46,1-0 wins. We want to dominate and create loads of chances but you can’t always have it your own way. Barrow are a very good team, very physical, very strong. We stood up to that challenge.
"I thought both teams’ substitutions did really well. I thought our lads came on and did what we needed them to do to get the win and I thought their subs came on and produced more of a threat than they were previously."
Webb also revealed that match-winner Markanday was a doubt for the game earlier in the week. “Dilan had a tight calf on Wednesday-Thursday so he was a little bit hit-and-miss but he felt fine today after the game,” he explained. “It just shows you that at any point your plans can go to waste.”
Next up for Chesterfield is a trip to Cheltenham Town, who lost 1-0 at Cambridge United, on Saturday. The Spireites were beaten 1-0 at Whaddon Road last season.
Webb added: "Last season (at Cheltenham) was disappointing, it was one of those late-ish goals that we conceded last year. It is important we go into those games with a different mindset now. If it is 0-0 with five minutes to go, you leave with 0-0, you don’t leave with a 1-0 defeat.”