Everyone always goes on about the magic of the FA cup. Last season Chesterfield FC had a great taste of that magic. As Akwasi Asante slotted that ball into the back of the net in front of 6,000 adoring Sprieites at the home of the European Champions, Stamford Bridge we probably all thought that that was going to be all the magic we would get for the time being. When the third round draw was made this season some of us might have still thought the same, a home tie against West Bromwich Albion is nothing compared to facing off Chelsea in their own back yard. Anyone who thought that probably doesn’t think that anymore because there was true magic on show at the Technique Stadium on the 7th of January 2023.
The game started with a bang. Within 90 seconds the Championship visitors had the ball in the back of the net through a Brandon Thomas-Asante goal. The striker shot at the roof of the net brilliantly from a cross in the middle of Chesterfield’s box. Thoughts of an upset were resolutely removed from our minds after such a quick goal. At the time I just hoped for a merciful defeat instead of a humiliating one.
Just 6 mere minutes later however, Chesterfield hit back with an equaliser. Centre half Tyrone Williams managed to bundle the ball home from mere yards out after Jamie Grimes headed the ball across goal from a well worked corner kick.
The first half was non-stop for its entirety. Just ten minutes after Chesterfield’s equaliser, West Brom were ahead for the second time. Karlan Grant ran on to an expertly played through ball and was able to slop it past Ross Fitzsimons in goal. Back to earth with a bump for the Spireites.
Or so we thought. This match taught me to never give up hope on this Chesterfield side, even against far bigger opposition. Chesterfield’s brilliant young Albanian midfielder, Armando Dobra popped up for not one but two goals before the half time whistle. Dobra was fantastic all game, much like he has been all season. His low centre of gravity allowed him to weave through West Brom’s players and his fantastic finishing put Chesterfield level at 36 minutes and ahead at 41 minutes.
Going into half time at 3-2 up, I think everyone in the stadium was a bit stunned. We were watching a historic game in the making. And non-league Chesterfield were putting West Brom, from three divisions above, to the sword.
The second half was long. Agonisingly long. Mike Jones and Tim Akinola were pivotal in the middle of the pitch that half. Jones won every battle that came to him and scrapped endlessly for the ball managing to break down numerous WBA passes and stopping them from making a charge at Fitzsimons’ goal. Akinola’s flair and brilliant awareness created some excellent chances, and a fantastic theatrical nutmeg in front of the Kop end that will not be forgotten in a hurry.
As the seconds ticked down, the sense of dread became greater and greater. I’m a Chesterfield fan, I’m used to witnessing crushing defeats late on but the side had played so well all game. They had fought so hard and had looked the better side for most of the game. That’s why what happened was so gutting. With hardly any time to go, Brandon Thomas-Asante, the scorer of the first goal of the game, raced into Chesterfield’s box and elbowed the chasing Jeff King in the face. King fell dramatically and it seemed like a freekick for every Chesterfield fan in the stadium. But the referee felt differently. The ball was cleared out for a throw in to WBA and as Jeff King was on the sideline receiving treatment for his elbowed face, the ball was thrown into the mixer and met with the head of Thomas-Asante for WBA’s equaliser.
West Brom’s fans celebrated vigorously, and credit to them, they had saved a draw against the better side. However, it is difficult to witness injustice and be incapable of doing anything about it, but I suppose that’s one of the most intrinsic parts of watching football anyway.
A replay is to be held at The Hawthorns on 17th January. And Brandon Thomas-Asante wont feature in it as he was given a three match retrospective ban for the elbow on Jeff King. WBA will be without their goal scorer. If Chesterfield can play as well as they did at the Technique they could pull something off, a win would be even greater than Akwasi Asante’s iconic Stamford Bridge goal. Who knows? It might happen. It’s the magic of the cup, after all.
The Post Match 
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