Tooley's Take

Yesterday at 07:49 AM

Phil Tooley takes a look at the game and its context   Chesterfield 3 Grimsby Town 2  Bristol Street Motors Trophy, Northern Group G I enjoyed that! Entertaining match, no need for any panic, some fine goals, a couple of missed sitters, but objective achieved. Hopefully Fleck's hamstring isn't too bad, and with any luck, Grimes and Jones withdrawals were mainly precautionary.  The win guaranteed Town will be at home for the start of the knock-out phase, 32 teams left in it, and the draw will be regionalised into North and South. Just one academy team still standing (Villa) after 16 entered. Is that good or bad? Depends on how you look at the competition. Personally I'd prefer it if there were no academy sides in it at all. At any stage.  Aston Villa are one of the sides we could be drawn against. Winning the group means we are seeded and will play a team that were runners-up in a Northern group (except Lincoln City who were in our section), those teams being Tranmere Rovers, Port Vale, Wigan Athletic, Crewe Alexandra, Huddersfield Town plus either Rotherham United or Bradford City who are both already through but play next week […]