FL2: Chesterfield v Torquay 11 Dec 2010

An early start for me on Saturday as, a couple of months ago, I’d bought reasonably-priced non-refundable tickets for the 0723 off Exeter St Davids. Game or no game I’d be on that train with, should there be a late postponement, every intention of making a diversion (via Derby) to Leicester v Doncaster. And, with dawn breaking and a largely empty train, it was a pleasant journey as far as Bristol. Then, at Temple Meads, it livened up somewhat as carriage C filled with gentlemen of a certain age (mid 20s upwards) on their way to Sheffield for a few beers and – who knows? – the opportunity of skulduggery. No colours, plenty of wit and repartee (with added colourful language) and many a tale of derring-do. If it wasn’t the Bristol Rovers “firm”, it was a passable imitation. They provided a degree of entertainment but you wouldn’t want them as regular travelling companions.

No real sign of snow until north of Derby and, when I arrived at Chesterfield at 1100, it was with a strong sense of déjà vu remembering the snows which accompanied our last visit in January. Mountains of grubby snow and ice piled up all over the place – with some nasty slippy patches on the pavements – and far more of the stuff than I’ve seen in the South West for years. A quick look in the museum – industrial history, just up my street – a cuppa in the Co-op and encouraging signs that the snow had largely disappeared from grassy areas (not that the expanse of grass outside the splendid town hall is Chesterfield FC’s pitch of course!).

Started to walk gingerly in the direction of the ground at 1230 and, having safely negotiated a lethal stretch of pavement on the Sheffield road, a bus pulled up and a youngish woman with a disability got off and asked me to help her cross the road. Not the road immediately by the bus stop but back up the icy hill I’d just navigated. Ah well, my good deed for the day and no damage done to either of us.

I guess it’s normally a twenty minute walk from the town centre – along Sheffield Road - to Chesterfield’s new ground. For traditionalists, it’s in a plausible location for a football ground as it’s surrounded by life rather than fields and total industrial/retail drabness (although to one side there is one of the most enormous Tesco stores imaginable). The ground has a simple enough design, four stands without the corners filled in, with a little bit of extra style in the curved/arched roofs of the touchline stands. It’s as good a new step-up as you’ll find in the lower divisions and, ambience wise, I liked it more than Shrewsbury.

As for the game, a pretty standard Torquay starting line-up, sadly missing Ashley Hemmings who had impressed me against Wycombe and Walsall. It looked pretty much like 4-2-3-1 (or some other combination adding up to ten). Certainly a good start for Torquay with the first fifteen minutes seeing plenty of passing, constructive football. Chesterfield then started to take control and, to be honest, we conceded after being on the back foot for a few minutes. From then on I thought Chesterfield were the better team and, for me, they performed the best in the key positions. Interesting to see Lathrope finishing the game in place of Oastler who has been a little disappointing after a bright start. Successfully managing loan players – and their sometimes fluctuating form and confidence – appears an important part of the manager’s job these days.

Overall, the game didn’t have the feel of potential champions v prospective play-off challengers. More a case of a play-off side against one from the upper mid-table. But let’s give Chesterfield full credit for getting the game played. Indeed, the club deserves praise not just for yesterday but also for persisting with January’s game (confirmed as late as one o’clock that day). Two trips to Chesterfield: neither wasted in the literal sense; different playing conditions (Saltergate was a treacherous glue pot); two 1-0 defeats.

A final difference, from a personal perspective, was a smooth trip home at the start of the year. Yesterday’s 1806 from Chesterfield didn’t arrive there until 1940: broken down train on the line; signalling problems south of York and apparent difficulties at Sheffield station. Then, at Derby, a further delay accompanied by the sound of excitable dogs. I went to the door and saw one of my earlier Bristolian travelling companions being led away to help the police with their enquiries. British Transport Police accompanied the train between Birmingham and Bristol – all was quiet by then – and we got back to Exeter at 1100 (having speeded up). Six goals at the Walker’s and eight at Hillsborough (both rather unevenly distributed). But, c’est la vie, it’s another Torquay United away trip for the memory bank.

And who was that bloke behind me who was just wearing a t-shirt in the first half? If he'd had a camera I might have recognised him!