Spireites boss Paul Cook went with 5 changes for this afternoon’s trip to Dorking. Banks, Jones, Quigley, Dobra and Sheckleford were replaced by King, Berry, Grigg, Oldaker and Mandeville.
Straight from kick off, Dorking wrestled midfield and forced the Spireites onto the back foot. Tyrer was forced into 2 early saves. The second one brought a corner which was only half cleared by Oldaker, Pybus pounced and fired home from 20 yards.
Tyrer was again put under pressure with a sloppy King back pass and 3 more saves kept Dorking at bay. Oldaker again made a half hit pass, but Rutherford took it in his stride to run through an absent defence and shot home, with Tyrer beaten.
Tyrer again on 41 minutes saved one on the line, but completely against the run of play, Mandeville’s short corner to King and return pass from King saw him cross to the far post, and Palmer headed home for the Spireites to go in 2-1 down at half time.
The second half kicked off with a bit more belief that Chesterfield could go on and turn the game around. Unfortunately that belief didn’t last long, as Grimes passed the ball straight across the back line to Blair, who again ran through unchallenged to make it 3-1.
Then yet another mistake from King, who gifted the ball to Rutherford who duly accepted the gift and made it 4-1. Hobson, Curtis and Dobra replaced Berry, Jacobs and Oldaker.
Carter then hit the post in injury time and Tyrer again (his 11th save of the game), kept the score down.
A desperately disappointing performance this afternoon. Passing was non existent and the Spireites couldn’t get going against a Dorking side that won every ball, every second ball and every challenge, and thoroughly deserved the victory.
This afternoon served as a wake up call for Paul Cook and his team. As he quite rightly said, the job is not yet done.
Corner count: Dorking 6, Spireites 7
Card count: 3 for Dorking – Pybus, Fuller and Taylor. Clements for the Spireites.
Attendance 2,420 with 828 travelling fans.
Credit to Dorking Chairman Marc White, who generously put £750 behind the bar for the away fans. Some suggested the player’s got there first though!