DANNY’S GOT FLEET FIRING!
RUNAWAY leaders Chesterfield dropped points at home for only the second time this season as Ebbsfleet United took a surprise share of the spoils from the SMH Group Stadium.
Rakish Bingham scored after just 42 seconds to give Fleet a shock lead before two goals in the space of four minutes from Will Grigg and Armando Dobra turned the tables.
But gutsy Fleet, under caretaker boss Danny Searle, earned a deserved point through Ben Chapman’s strike three minutes into the second half.
Indeed, but for Spireites goalkeeper Harry Tyrer the visitors might have claimed all three points, much to the delight of the interim boss.
“It’s not about me,” Searle said. “The lads needed some love and they have been brilliant.
“Regardless of what happens, that is your building blocks. They are more than good enough to stay up.”
Searle’s men got off to a dream start when a long ball found Bingham on the left and the Fleet striker cut inside and fired across Tyrer and into the bottom corner.
Fleet continued to create chances and were unfortunate not to double their lead with Toby Edser shooting over and Dominic Poleon skewing an effort wide of the post.
Grigg tried his best to find an equaliser as he tested Mark Cousins with a shot from an acute angle, but the frontman wasn’t kept out for long. On the half hour, Liam Mandeville’s floated cross wasn’t claimed by Cousins and Grigg chested home from point-blank range.
Four minutes later, Chesterfield took the lead. Jeff King cut in from the right before seeing his effort blocked on the line before Dobra poked in.
King continued to cause trouble on the right side with his cross almost being diverted in by the head of Dobra – the ball rolled inches wide.
Searle responded by making a double substitution at half-time and within four minutes into the restart, his side were level – Chapman arrowing an effort past Tyrer and into the top corner.
James Berry, who had scored three goals in his last three, came on to add some more danger to the Chesterfield attack, and saw his low drive denied by a strong hand from Cousins.
And in added time, Liam Mandeville’s leftfoot effort crashed off the crossbar as Chesterfield’s seven-match winning run came to an end.
Still, with Bromley and Barnet in FA Trophy action, the Spireites increased their lead at the top of the table to 23 points, and assistant manager Danny Webb said: “They’re second from bottom but they’ve got some good threats.
“The new interim manager has obviously got them playing and believing in themselves. It was one of those days and a point isn’t the worst result.”
STAR MAN: Harry Tyrer (Chestefield)
ATT: 8,033
ENTERTAINMENT: ★★★★★
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