Totus tuus minimus canus; Costacurta, Baggio, Roberto. It’s the latest away day for Boro’, and it’s almost time to call for some divine intervention to halt this unholy run of form on the road. It is a great comfort this week, however, to know that – no matter how bad things end up being at The Proact Stadium – it won’t be as dismal as Leeds United’s attempt at rebranding. So, there is that. Just something to cling to, that’s all we ask really.
Next up, as we have so far laboured in mentioning, is Chesterfield. Fresh from our less-than-inspiring goalless draw indoors against Carlisle, perhaps this *is* the week. This will, however, need us to offer a little more zeal in front of goal. Of course, it will need us to actually get in front of goal. A measly one shot finding the target at home to a side just three points above us in the table ain’t much cop. And neither exactly were they.
Chesterfield v Stevenage: The Lowdown
The Referee
True or false: Mark Heywood? It’s true. He has, he is… and he probably will again, to be fair. This’ll be the first time we’ve met this season; our last encounter being an April Fool’s win over Barnet at the Lamex last term.
P8 W5 D1 L2 F10 A6; last result: Stevenage 1-0 Barnet, 01/04/2017
The Head-to-Head
P5 W1 D3 L1 F8 A5; last result: Stevenage 5-1 Chesterfield, 23/12/2017
The Opposition
Now, there some among us might think putting five past this lot just over a month ago means this is going to be a doddle. It’s the kind of thinking that makes you go giddy at the thought of being pre-qualified for a high interest credit card. Our first ever win over the Spireites is a highlight of the season so far. Not that there’s much competition, mind. We’ve taken a single point from our previous two jaunts to their neck of the woods; the last of which was August 2011! Still, we’re unbeaten in three against Chesterfield. So, there’s that too!
The Form
The Chesterfield as of 23 January 2018 are not the same as the Chesterfield of 23 December 2017. Evidently alarmed by the thought of going to Woking next year, the Spireites have bucked up their ideas in the last two outings. From standing in the way of Barnet’s return to the Conference, the Derbyshire are six points clear of the Bees and one point outside the bottom two. It’s a significant leap up from where they were last month.
This upturn in form has seen them overcome league leaders Luton at home, before going down to Yeovil and winning more games away from home in the last week than we’ve managed since autumn. Much like us, their home form is much better than their away efforts. SoccerStats reveals that 69% of Chesterfield’s points have been earned on their own turf. It’s 67% for us. Five out of their 14 home games have ended either 2-0 or 0-2.
The form in technicolordreamcoat-vision, courtesy of kickoff.co.uk…
• BoroGuide’s Chesterfield club profile – up there with Our Lord, Stalin and Bob Marley…
