SMH Group Stadium: Chesterfield 2-2 Notts County

Chesterfield 2-2 Notts County

It’s 14 years since I last time saw Chesterfield, it was the season when they started playing at their new home at Whittington Moor, currently called the SMH Stadium. The stadium is very much like other lower division new builds, 4 separate stands with a capacity of just over 10,000. Importantly though catering for the demands of corporate hospitality and the 21st century supporter, something which good old Saltergate could not. I have a personal soft spot for Saltergate, when I started doing my 92 this was one of my first trips in the 1980/81 season. A FA Cup replay defeat to Peterborough followed by an Anglo Scottish Cup Final 1st leg win against today’s opponents. A lot of ups and downs for the club since the new stadium move including 6 years playing in the National League, returning to the EFL this season. Notts County have also had several years in the non-league wilderness returning in 2023 ironically after a national league play off final penalty shootout against Chesterfield which was the last time these two sides met. With that still in the minds of many current fans this game had the potential to be a cracker, not quite a local derby, Mansfield would be that but only 26 miles separate these two clubs and there is no love lost between the folks of Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire. Good advert for League 2, gone are the days of muddy pitches and up and at em football, the pitch was superb and both sides wanted to get the ball down and play a passing style, it caught out Notts on a couple of occasions but they got away with it, the new phrase risk or reward. Both sides had spells where they dominated the ball but despite all that possession a combination of good defending and disappointing finishing meant there were not as many clear cut chances as there might have been. An early goal always sets things up and the home side scored inside the first 6 minutes. Dilan Mackenday on loan from Blackburn inter changed passes, shot for goal, only to see it blocked by his own man Paddy Madden, but the veteran striker, controlled the ball instantly, held off the defender and fired across the keeper into the net and Chesterfield were ahead. Unfazed by conceding an early goal, Notts County, settled into to their passing style with Dan Crowley looking like the main creative force with Jones out injured long term. The equaliser came in 14 minutes, young Spurs loanee George Abbott managed to cross the ball from the bye line and the big lone striker Alessana Jetta powerfully headed across goal into the net and it was 1-1. Both sides had good spells in the first half, played at a high tempo, two long range efforts for the Magpies while Alex Bass the new keeper made an excellent save diving high to his left to deny Amando Dobra, a man that Notts know all about from days in the National League. The second half saw the temp drop but the game was reinvigorated by both managers making substitutions. Chesterfield were starting to gain some momentum, Oldaker shooting over the bar, but despite all the possession Bass wasn’t being tested enough and Notts were always looking for the quick breakaway. On one occasion Jatta was denied a goal thanks to a brilliant last ditch tackle by young Harvey Araujo, who I’m told is on loan from Premier League, Fulham. Finally the home side’s pressure came to fruition with a goal. You can pass it around looking for the perfect goal but just get a set piece and a good delivery. This is exactly what happened Mandeville’s corner, superbly headed towards goal by Tom Naylor and Will Grigg on as a sub for Madden headed home from close range. It made for an interesting last 15 minutes, the sell-out crowd of just over 10,000 were starting to believe, Chesterfield couldn’t find a third and Notts were showing more urgency. Jatta a danger up front had a goal disallowed for offside as we ticked into 6 minutes of stoppage time. But the noise in the stadium was brought to a shuddering holt as the visitors were handed a lifeline with a penalty. Substitute Jevani Brown, a summer signing from Bristol Rovers got down the right, his low cross was half blocked by Araujo but in doing so, hit the arm of Liam Mandeville, preventing the ball falling to County’s Nick Tsaroulla. The ref immediately pointed to the spot, it seemed very harsh, the defender concerned could do nothing about it, but by the letter of the law the referee was I guess correct. David McGoldrick yet another sub making an impact, making his 550th league appearance, took the penalty, it was saved by Max Thompson but the keeper could do nothing about the ball ricocheting into the path of McGoldrick who rifled the ball home from close range for 2-2. Chesterfield players and fans were crestfallen and the noise was now coming from the 1,000 Notts County fans who had made the relatively short journey up the M1. Final score 2-2, with the Spirites yet again denied a win against Notts County in an entertaining game played before a big crowd for League 2. As this was a 12.30 kick off, I then sped out of town very quickly to watch a second match. I hadn’t realised Alfreton were at home in the FA Cup 4th qualifying round or else I would have there, instead I travelled down the M1, with some stretches only allowing 50 mph, to junction 26 and Northern Premier League action at the North Nottingham side Basford United. They seem to have made progress very quickly through the pyramid and are one in step 3. After an overcast start to the day and some rain, the sun was now shining and I saw a decent game with the home side beating Bamber Bridge 3-2. For fans of Leicester City and Coalville Town, especially, Ash Chambers played for an hour and scored twice. Altogether a good day, making maximum use of the international weekend which afforded very little EFL football.

Chesterfield 2-1 Southend United

Only a few months before our visit to the brand new Proact Stadium, we visited the dated Saltergate just before it was demolished. Saltergate was probably, at the time, one of the worst grounds in the country and a move away from their historic home was inevitable. The move to the new Proact Stadium was to be a catalyst for Chesterfield in a League 2 promotion push during the 2010/11 season. We decided on this fixture, Chesterfield verses Southend United, during pre-season when the fixtures came out as it was one of very few early opportunities to visit due to Leicester City playing at home the same time as Chesterfield.

With the fixture chosen, we set off at 12:30pm making our fairly short journey up the M1 and got into Chesterfield at 1:20pm. Upon our arrival, we chose to have a walk into the town and have a look and the unusual crooked spire which can also be seen on the new modernised Chesterfield FC logo. After our short venture into the town of Chesterfield, we drove towards the Proact Stadium and parked up at a shop Adrian visits as a sales rep. The shop was only around the corner from the stadium. We therefore parked up, quickly said hello to the shop owner, and then walked the short distance towards the Proact. The exterior of the Proact Stadium is rather nice and not like your usual bog standard new concrete block stadiums. With the beautiful dry stone appeared wall circling the stadium, it really shows a mixture of old and new. We took a few pictures of the outside the ground and whilst taking our usual walk around the stadium, we came across the iconic Southend United Trust coach which we have seen many times on our travels on the motorway.

The Proact Stadium is located on the site of the former Dema Glassworks. This was a prime location chosen by the club back in 2004. Planning permission was granted eight years later and the build started in 2009. It has a capacity of approximately 10,500 which is only slightly bigger than their former home, but with a large surrounding area, extending the stadium would be possible if required. Costing £13million to build, the stadium was designed by Sheffield-based architects Ward McHugh Associates.

A decent away performance by Southend United went unrewarded with a last minute winner to give Chesterfield all 3 points in a 2-1 home victory. Danny Whitaker opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the first half. The Shrimpers got themselves level when Anthony Grant found the back of the net. But it was Scott Boden's injury-time goal that gave Chesterfield victory over Southend United and moved them to within a point of League Two leaders Port Vale.

Following the game we left the ground and we were back at the car in no time. Our journey back was fairly straight forward and we were home by 6 o’clock.

Adrian and I really enjoyed our trip to Chesterfield’s new home. It is a lot better than the old crumbling Saltergate. The Proact Stadium could even be League 1 venue next season.

SMH Group Stadium

Sunday, 10 November 2024

Chesterfield 2-2 Notts County

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