Midweek Round-up

Gillingham made it two away wins in three days, and moved into the play-off places with a win at Port Vale on Tuesday night. Marc Richards put Vale 1-0 up but the Gills staged a second half come-back with goals from Denis Oli, Adam Miller, and a Simeon Jackson penalty.

Elsewhere, Exeter grabbed a priceless win at rivals Dag & Red. Craig McAllister scored twice as the Grecians leapfrogged the Daggers. And Aldershot fell further behind the pack with a 2-2 draw at home to Notts County.

Tuesday Jan 20 Results:

Aldershot 2-2 Notts County

Dag & Red 1-2 Exeter

Port Vale 1-3 Gillingham

Port Vale v Chesterfield – Match preview

Mid-table battle – Would these two sides have imagined this game a few years ago?

Two seasons ago, in League 1, 5^th placed Chesterfield travelled to Vale Park to tackle the league leaders writes Demetri Loizou. Port Vale emerged as 3-2 winners that day, but since then, both clubs have deteriorated considerably.

Port Vale managed to finish 12^th that season, 13 points ahead of relegated Spireites, but relegation followed the Valiants a year after, slumping to a disappointing 38 points total, 22 points worse off than the season that preceded it. Vale have found life in League 2 harder than expected. Dissatisfied Vale fans have seen the joint-second worst home defence in the league let 19 goals in at Vale Park already this season.

Chesterfield visit Staffordshire without a league win since that club record-breaking night at Exeter, when the Spireites recorded an emphatic 6-1 victory over the Grecians. The Blues currently have no win at all in six, although they came close on Tuesday night (being twenty minutes away from the final whistle at Droylsden, 2-0 up before the floodlights intervened in those controversial affairs).

This weekend’s visitors have not kept a clean sheet since 6^th September, and not away from home since the second game of the season at Grimsby. Chesterfield have scored the most goals away from home in this league, and are up against (as previously mentioned) the joint-second worst home defence.

 Both sides are horrific form, with Port Vale just nicking it after beating Grimsby(which in fairness isn’t much of a feat this season).

Again, Chesterfield’s dynamic, diminutive front two dominate the head-to-head scorers’ list, combining to contribute twenty-six goals to The Spireites’ cause. Lester & Darren Currie did score in midweek, but they were discounted due to the subsequent abandonment at Droylsden. 

Anyon & Richman are both ruled out for Vale so Martin and Griffith set to replace them. A few more changes are expected after a disappointing defeat to Bury.

Lee expected to retain his place in goal, midfielders Kerry and Winter both suspended, so Harsley is set to return to Vale Park this weekend. Goodall is also suspended, leaving little choice for Richardson but to leave Robertson in the side.

Two troubled clubs looking for a break – who will emerge victorious? If Chesterfield lose is Richardson out? Can Dean Glover go somewhere towards redeeming Vale’s season with a win today? I honestly can not predict what will happen in this encounter.

 

Richardson and McParland in trouble??

Under pressure: Lee Richardson

There are increasing rumours from around the league that the boards of Chesterfield and Notts County are becoming increasingly frustrated with their managers.

Chesterfield are languishing in mid-table, despite having pre-season hopes of at least a play-off place. And Lee Richardson is under pressure from the fans, who believe with the talent at his disposure, they should be battling for promotion. A dissapointing result at home to Macclesfield on Friday night means he really needs a result at Port Vale on Saturday. What price could you get on him getting the sack if they lose the 4th replay against Droylsden, a decent shout in my eyes.

Notts County boss Ian McParland has also been under pressure from Magpie supporters. The Nottingham club has lost 4 out of the last 6 games, and lie down the table in 16th place.

So what do you think? Who will be the first manager to face the sack, or will neither of them go?

Weekend Round-up

In a late flurry of action at Griffin Park, Brentford overcame Bradford. Marcus Bean put Brentford ahead in the 88th minute, before Michael Boulding equalised a minute later. But Nathan Elder snatched victory in stoppage time, which allows the Bees to leapfrog their opponents in the table.

Bury moved up to second with an impressive 3-0 victory over Port Vale. Ben Futcher made it 1-0, before two goals from Glynn Hurst set-up victory. They move above Shrewsbury, who surprisingly lost to Grimsby Town. The Mariners earned their first home victory since March thanks to an Adam Proudlock volley.

Elsewhere, Wycombe were held 0-0 at home to Luton, and Darlington fell to a 1-0 defeat at Christie Park against Morecambe.

On Friday night Chesterfield suffered another dissapointing loss, this time at home to Macclesfield. Martin Gritton struck twice for the visitors, whilst Jamie Ward battled alone for the Spireites, grabbing two goals himself. Lee Richardson must surely be close to the sack now. Lincoln also played on Friday night, comfortably beating Accrington 5-1 at Sincil Bank.

Saturday Dec 13 Results:

Barnet 2-2 Gillingham
Brentford 2-1 Bradford
Bury 3-0 Port Vale
Chester 2-0 Notts County
Grimsby 1-0 Shrewsbury
Morecambe 1-0 Darlington
Rochdale 1-1 Bournemouth
Wycombe 0-0 Luton

Friday Dec 12 Results:

Chesterfield 2-4 Macclesfield
Lincoln 5-1 Accrington

F.A. Cup Second Round

More misery for League 2 this weekend. In fact, the only League 2 club to make it through, were playing against a team from the same division!

Macclesfield beat Port Vale 3-1, with 2 goals from Francis Green handing them a home-tie against Premier League Everton in the Third Round draw.

Notts County face a replay, after being held by Kettering, as do Bournemouth, who were frustrated by Blyth Spartans. Bradford lost at home to League 1 Leyton Orient 2-1, and Dag & Red put up a good fight away to high-flying Leicester City, going down 3-2 in the end.

But the big story was our very own ‘invincibles’. Can’t lose in League 1, but put them on a sloped pitch against a team three divisions below them and they lose! Eastwood Town humbled the mighty Wycombe 2-0, and sent themselves through to the Third Round.

Forest Green beat Rochdale 2-0, to send another League 2 club on form out of the competition. And Brentford who comfortably sit in the top-half of League 2 were beaten by Conference strugglers Barrow.

F.A. Cup Second Round Results:

Friday Nov 28:

Barrow 2-1 Brentford
Port Vale 1-3 Macclesfield

Saturday Nov 29:

Bournemouth 0-0 Blyth Spartans
Bradford 1-2 Leyton Orient
Eastwood Town 2-0 Wycombe
Fleetwood Town 2-3 Hartlepool
Forest Green 2-0 Rochdale
Gillingham 0-0 Stockport
Grays Athletic 0-2 Carlisle
Kidderminster 2-0 Curzon Ashton
Leicester 3-2 Dag & Red
Millwall 3-0 Aldershot
Peterborough 0-0 Tranmere
Scunthorpe 4-0 Alfreton Town
Southend 3-1 Luton
Torquay 2-0 Oxford Utd

Sunday Nov 30:

Histon 1-0 Leeds
Notts County 1-1 Kettering