Chesterfield look to the FA Cup after Newport defeat, with Webb saying there were ‘no excuses’
Sunday 1 November 2026 · By Bertram Fairbank
Chesterfield have a quick chance to respond after their 4–1 defeat at Newport County on Friday night, with an FA Cup first-round tie at home to Yeovil on Saturday 7 November. Here is where things stand for Paul Cook’s side after the weekend’s games.
The result cost the Spireites ground. North Derbyshire Radio reported that a win at Rodney Parade would have lifted them into third place, but they are now 10th on 19 points from 14 games, with five wins, four draws and five defeats and a goal difference of plus three. A few days ago they were seventh. BBC form for the last six league games reads win, draw, loss, draw, win, loss, and the win in that run was the 5–1 victory over Crewe on 24 October.
The other major talking point was Cook himself. BBC Sport reported that the manager was sent off at half-time after earlier being booked for his anger on the touchline. PA copy and North Derbyshire Radio also reported that he was sent off during the interval. Assistant manager Danny Webb took charge for the second half, according to PA. As of Sunday morning we had found no comment from Cook, and no FA charge has been reported. We will not speculate beyond that.
Webb was frank when he spoke to reporters. “The game was done at half-time,” he said. “There were a lot of bad decisions – you could say we should have had a penalty – but there are certainly no excuses.” He added: “You have to give a lot of respect to Newport – they had a game plan, they started on the front foot, they were aggressive and physical.”
North Derbyshire Radio said Chesterfield did improve after the break. Liam Mandeville pulled a goal back in the 58th minute, finishing off the left-hand post after Remeao Hutton’s pass, and Chesterfield used five substitutes, including Lee Bonis, who remains with the club. Will Grigg, by contrast, left in the transfer window.
The fixtures now come quickly. After Yeovil in the FA Cup on Saturday 7 November at 3pm, Chesterfield go to Mansfield in the EFL Trophy on Tuesday 10 November at 7pm. They then travel to Bristol Rovers in the league on Saturday 14 November at 3pm, a game that follows Rovers’ fifth consecutive away league defeat, which came at Fleetwood on Saturday.
Chesterfield are then at home to Shrewsbury Town on Saturday 21 November at 3pm, and host Exeter City on Tuesday 1 December.
The league picture is tight. Accrington, Tranmere, Exeter and Swindon are all on 19 points as well, so a couple of results either way could move Chesterfield several places in either direction. They are a point behind Grimsby and York, who are on 20 and hold the last two play-off places.
That makes the FA Cup tie at home to Yeovil a useful moment to put the Newport game behind them. A home win would send them into the second-round draw, which takes place on Monday 9 November.
SMH Group Stadium is Chesterfield’s home on Sheffield Road at Whittington Moor, a short way north of the town centre. Opened in 2010 after the move from Saltergate, it is a compact, all-seater ground of just over 10,000 with four separate stands rather than a continuous bowl. Visiting supporters usually sit in the northern blocks of the Chesterfield College Community (East) Stand — typically E1, with E2 and E3 added when the allocation grows. That is a side stand, not behind a goal, so you watch the length of the pitch rather than an end-on view.
The address is 1866 Sheffield Road, Chesterfield, S41 8NZ (older sat-navs sometimes prefer S41 8LF). From the M1 leave at Junction 29, follow the A617 into Chesterfield, then pick up the A61 north towards Sheffield. The ground sits on your right after the Tesco / Asda roundabouts. Stadium parking is permit-only and usually closed to casual arrivals close to kick-off, so most away fans use nearby streets or Tesco Extra. Watch local restrictions and avoid treating Sanforth Crescent and Nelson Street as through routes.
Chesterfield station is about a 25–30 minute walk or a short taxi. Coaches drop near the away turnstiles on the east side. Entry for visitors is generally via turnstiles E1–E3. Tickets are allocated seats and are not sold for cash at the gates; buy in advance through your club or Chesterfield’s ticketing portal. Printed tickets from the stadium ticket office can carry a small surcharge. There is often a separate away ticket collection point if you still need to pick up.
The four stands are easy to place once you are inside. The LMD Vacuum Excavation West Stand is the main stand: tunnel, dugouts, directors’ box and hospitality. Opposite is the East Stand, part home, part away. Behind the south goal is the Motan Colortronic Stand, the noisy home end in the spirit of the old Saltergate Kop. Behind the north goal is the Auto Windscreen Stand. The goals sit in front of those north and south stands. All four sides are single-tier with no pillars, so sightlines are clean and the pitch feels close.
Concourses are covered and sell the usual matchday food and drink; Jackson’s pies are the local staple. A pint is typically mid-range EFL pricing. The fanzone and The Batch House opposite the ground are useful before kick-off. Recommended away-friendly pubs along Sheffield Road include the Red Lion, the Derby Tup / Glassworks area, the Donkey Derby and the Crown & Anchor. The Rose and Crown nearer the ground has often welcomed mixed crowds, but check on the day if a fixture is high-profile.
Families and disabled supporters are well provided for by modern standards: wheelchair platforms, ambulant seating and audio descriptive commentary can be arranged through the club. Flags are usually allowed if they carry a fire-safety label and stewards are happy with placement. Cashless or card-first service is common. After the final whistle the car park stays locked for a short period while pedestrians clear, so build that into your exit if you have parked on site.
The ground is tidy, compact and easy to read: north and south for the goals, west for the main stand, east for most visiting fans. Arrive early if you want a pint and a pie without rushing the turnstiles, and treat Sheffield Road as the spine of the whole trip — stadium, pubs and Tesco all sit on or just off it.