Chesterfield 0
Rotherham United 0
Sat 4th April 2009
Chesterfield had to settle for a point when second to bottom side Rotherham held the Spireites to a goalless draw at Warminster Road. Despite a second half full of missed opportunities, Dave Bentley's side couldn't capitalise on a poor Millers performance.
With the British sun finally making an appearance at Warminster Road for the first time this season, the playing conditions were perfect for both teams as the Millers got the match underway.
No sooner had they kicked off, Rotherham had a decent chance to take an early lead but the effort went wide of Matt Malak's near post. Tendayi Darikwa found himself unmarked in the visitors penalty area and maybe should of done better when Ryan Granger picked the creative midfielder out for a free header.
Ross Burns began to dominate the middle of the park and after some good play with Jimmy Adcock, found Adam Smith with an open goal, unfortunately the striker couldn't score the gifted opportunity. A few half-hearted chances from Smith and Craig Clay were all the Spireites could produce as both teams went in at the break goalless.
Half Time 0-0
Chesterfield kicked off the second half but again didn't wake up until the visitors had a decent chance to score, but due to Malak's quick reactions the Millers effort was pushed round the post for a corner. From the resulting corner, the ball seemed to have struck a Spireite hand, with the Rotherham players appealing the referee waved play on.
Alexander Moller's return back into the team almost brought a goal form the defender, when a volley from 18 yards went just over the bar. Bentley's side seemed to have found the tempo that they were lacking in the first half and began to pressure in the final quarter of the pitch. Jordan Bowery picked the ball up on the left hand side and with a burst of pace, cut inside the Millers defence but the visitors keeper stood firm.
After chasing down what seemed a lost cause, Smith's determination and strength won the Spireites a free kick in a promising area.Burn's set piece was meet by Bowery's head who beat the keeper but also the cross bar at the same time. Moments later, Bowery had another opportunity with his head but this time his effort went wide of the post.
With the pressure mounting on the Rotherham back four and Chesterfield attacks becoming more frequent, it looked like the Spireites might take the lead. Burns's perfectly weighted ball in to the area picked out Adcock, whose control was impeccable but the ball just didn't drop right for the number eight and the attack came to nothing.
A penalty decision was again waved away by the referee but this time it was Chesterfield who were the one's looking for the call, after a Miller defender clearly handled the ball in the area.
With just ten minutes left, Bentley introduced forward Jordan Burrow into the match and pushed the formation to a 4-3-3 in search of a goal. Bowery had proven to be a real handful for the visiting defence in the second half and with just five minutes remaining made an opening for himself. As he picked the ball up on the left, he proceeded to take on three defenders with his pace and power, but the Miller's number one saved the shot well, with Bowery hitting the side netting with the rebound.
In the end Rotherham held on for a draw which saw the Spireites surely seeing the game as two points lost instead of one gained.
Chesterfield (4-4-2): Malak, Holmes, Moller, Granger, Tingay, Burns, Adcock (Burrow 80), Clay, Darikwa, Bowery, A Smith
Subs Not Used: Davies, S Smith, Webb
