Chesterfield were held to a 1-1 draw by Colchester United in a League Two fixture on Tuesday. Dilan Markanday's 29th-minute opener was cancelled out by Ben Perry's 82nd-minute equaliser, denying the Spireites a home win. This result is part of a recent form that has seen them record one win, two draws and two losses in their last five matches.
The result leaves Chesterfield seventh in the division with 15 points from 11 games, maintaining their position in the promotion-chasing pack. They are now seven points behind leaders Salford City but have a key home game against third-placed Crewe Alexandra to come on Saturday. Their record of four wins, three draws and four losses this season has yielded 17 goals scored and 15 conceded.
How the match unfolded
Markanday broke the deadlock just before the half-hour mark, finishing off a move assisted by Ryan Stirk. Chesterfield dominated possession, ending the match with 62% of the ball and 19 attempts on goal. However, they struggled to convert that dominance into a decisive second goal, with only three of those shots hitting the target.
Colchester grew into the contest and found their leveller with eight minutes of normal time remaining. Substitute Oscar Thorn provided the assist for Ben Perry, who beat Boot to secure a point for the visitors. The match was a physical affair, with Chesterfield's Lewis Gordon, Alfie Pond and Ryan Stirk all receiving yellow cards.
Manager Danny Cowley made a flurry of changes in the second half in search of a winner, introducing Tom Naylor, Liam Mandeville and Kiano Dyer around the 69-minute mark. Top scorer Lee Bonis, who has 13 goals this season, was replaced by Bryden late on but the equaliser had already been conceded.
What comes next
Attention now turns to a significant test at the SMH Group Stadium this Saturday. Chesterfield host high-flying Crewe, who sit third in the standings. The Spireites will be looking to improve on a recent run of form that has seen them win just one of their last five league matches, a sequence that includes the draw with Colchester, a 1-0 loss at Port Vale, a 2-2 draw at Crawley Town, a 4-2 win over Tranmere, and a 2-1 loss at Cheltenham. Kick-off is at 3pm local time on Saturday 24 October.
