SAM THE MAN SAVES SPIREITES
CHESTERFIELD’S caretaker boss Mark Smith feels his side have the foundations to build upon after their late FA Cup fightback.
Sam Morsy hit a dramatic 89th minute leveller to secure a battling 1-1 draw against Walsall and a place in the FA Cup third round draw.
The Saddlers went ahead through a heavy deflected Jason Demetriou effort, before Chesterfield showed a fight so badly lacking during Dean Saunders’ short reign at the club to force a replay.
A proud Smith said:“We did not create too many chances in the first half and looked a bit tentative.
“It was a different story in the second half and we made great use of the wind.
“We got the ball in the danger areas and looked really threatening. Our fightback is a great testament to the players.
“We are still in the hat and we will go to Walsall knowing who we will face in the next round and it is up to us to make it happen.
“I am really pleased for the lads, I wanted them to get something from the game because they deserved it.”
Walsall went ahead when Demetriou’s cross was deflected in by Richard Wood on 19 minutes.
Walsall came close to doubling their lead when George Evans shot just wide after Jordon Cook’s pass split the Spireites’ defence open on 38 minutes.
Paul Downing had a goal-bound header off the line, before Cook headed over from eight yards as Walsall pushed.
Neil Etheridge pulled off an excellent double save on the hour mark as he saved a Lee Novak shot before blocking at the feet of Sylvan Ebanks-Blake.
The Walsall goal led a charmed life on 70 minutes when Dan Gardner and Ebanks-Blake both went close inside one frantic minute.
But Chesterfield finally got the deserved breakthough with just one minute to go when Morsy swept home from close range after Sam Hird hooked Ollie Banks’ free-kick into the danger zone.
Walsall were inches away from going ahead straight away when Sam Mantom cracked a free-kick against the bar on 90 minutes.
Etheridge pulled off another superb reaction save three minutes into stoppage time when he beat away Ian Evatt’s header during a pulsating finish.
Despite the late equaliser John Whitney, one of three caretaker bosses in place at Walsall, said: “It was a fair result in the end of it.
“The conditions helped make it a classic cup tie.
“We did have chances to seal the game, but that is football.
“We are still in the hat for the next round, which is important and are delighted to take them back to our place for another crack.
“We will take a look at the performance, dissect the game and look to get back to winning ways in our next match.
“We will sit down with the board in the coming days and look at where we are at now and where we can go from
here.”