York City v Chesterfield – Good Friday 29 March 2024
Champions Chesterfield made 4 changes from the side that clinched the National League title the previous Saturday, as Boot, Oldaker, Berry and Banks, replaced Tyrer, Mandeville, Jacobs and Jones.
The game started as well as it could have with Quigley firing the Spireites in front on 7 minutes, after good work from King on the right; Quigley tucking away nicely at the back post from close range. York were forced into a change on 44 minutes when Latty-Fairweather was stretchered off with what looked a serious injury after a collision with Banks. That seemed to galvanize York towards the end of the first half, but the visitors went in 1/0 to the good.
The second half started as it finished with York on the front foot and taking charge of midfield. Cue the usual – Banks lost the ball, York went forward and equalised through Kouhyar on 53 minutes. Roll forward and cue repeat – Dobra lost the ball in midfield, and York broke forward, and Akinyemi calmly slotted home for 2/1.
Mandeville came on for Horton, Hobson for Banks, and Connor Cook for Dobra which couldn’t change the flow of the game or indeed the result as the Champions were brought back down to earth by the Minstermen.
Good Friday didn’t end so good for the Spireites as York claimed the spoils in a 2-1 victory.
Card count: 1 for York, which was Hunt. Grimes and Naylor made it 2 for the Spireites. Make that 3 after Paul Cook was booked for dissent after the visitors were denied what looked to be a cast iron penalty, which means he will be banned from the touchline for Kidderminster at home and Wealdstone away.
Can’t really tell you much about the last ten minutes as the heavens opened and everyone put their equipment away and just sheltered from the downpour as the press area caught the brunt of it.
Attendance was 7571, including 2185 Spireites.
Alan Wilkinson
