Boos at the Proact as Chesterfield play out turgid draw with MK Dons

Chesterfield failed to score for the third consecutive game, playing out a 0-0 draw with fellow strugglers MK Dons at the Proact today.
Ched Evans shoots just wide.Ched Evans shoots just wide.
Ched Evans shoots just wide.

Town never really looked like an attacking force in a match that appeared to further test the wafer-thin patience of home fans.

A lack of urgency in the final minutes brought boos from sections of the Spireites fanbase, with manager Danny Wilson wildly gesticulating for them to get behind his players.

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MK Dons ended the game strongly and Town had Ryan Fulton to thank for the point, the goalkeeper making a couple of hugely important late stops.

The opening quarter of an hour was entirely devoid of creativity or intensity from either side, the only action worthy of mention a dreadfully miscued sidefoot shot from GB Williams from 16 yards out.

In truth, it never got any better.

It took 18 minutes for Chesterfield to register an attempt at goal, Jon Nolan’s deep ball to the back post volleyed into the arms of Dave Martin by Ched Evans.

There was almost a good chance for the hosts before the half hour mark, breaking through Evans who took the ball in an offside position when Gary Liddle would have been in on goal had the Welshman left it.

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Reece Mitchell provided one or two nice moments and his cutback from the by-line earned a corner, from which Ian Evatt powered a header goalwards only for Dave Martin to block on his line.

The second half was every bit as dull as the first, neither side able to string more than a couple of passes together in a desperately poor 25 minute spell after the restart.

MK Dons will perhaps feel Ed Upson should have done better when gifted with the ball on the edge of the box, but he scooped his shot high and wide under very little pressure.

Both managers attempted to liven things up with a pair of substitutions apiece, Jake Beesley and Reece Mitchell the men withdrawn as Conor Wilkinson and Gboly Ariyibi made entrances.

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The first moment of real skill and enterprise took 71 minutes to arrive and it was Nicky Maynard who produced it, his spectacular overhead kick saved on the line by a full stretch Ryan Fulton.

MK Dons began to build some momentum as the game reached its latter stages, winning a number of corners and threatening through GC Williams and the industrious Ben Reeves.

One of those corners was allowed to come all the way through to Joe Walsh eight yards out and fortunately for the hosts he got right under the ball, heading it over.

Fulton kept Town in the game with seven minutes remaining, coming up with a fantastic save to deny Daniel Powell after the MK Dons man had outpaced Tom Anderson.

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The goalkeeper had to hare out of his area a minute later to clear Dion Donohue’s weak back pass under real pressure from Maynard, and then Powell shot over after a promising move from the visitors.

Chesterfield didn’t appear to be in a hurry to get the ball forward as time ticked away, Fulton and then O’Neil dallying over free-kicks that could have been pumped forward, sparking a loud chorus of dissent from the stands.

The final whistle was greeted with more boos, Chesterfield ending a painful afternoon with a point but remaining in the relegation zone.

Chesterfield: Fulton, O’Neil, Donohue, Evatt, Anderson, Mitchell (Ariyibi 66), O’Shea, Liddle, Nolan, Beesley (Wilkinson 61), Evans. Not used: Gardner, Dimaio, Allinson, Simons, Morrison.

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MK Dons: Martin, GB Williams, Lewington, Walsh, Downing, Upson, Potter, Reeves, Aneke (GC Williams 61), Agard (Powell 61), Maynard. Not used: Hendry, Nicholls, Rasulo, Brittain, Tshimanga.

Referee: Darren England. Assistants: Matthew Parry, Joe Simpson.

Attendance: 5,554 (394 away)