Cook proud of Chesterfield players despite MK Dons defeat

Chesterfield boss Paul Cook felt his side did everything but score an equaliser in their 2-1 defeat to MK Dons on New Year’s Day.

Trailing 2-0 at half-time, the Spireites manager urged his side to dig deep to try and get something from the game at the SMH Group Stadium - a place they had only lost once at in League Two all season.

While Darren Oldaker’s excellent free-kick with quarter of an hour to go made for a thrilling finale, Chesterfield were unable to get an equaliser, though they came within the width of the goal-line from doing so deep into stoppage time.

Speaking afterwards, Cook said: “I didn’t think we were great in spells in the game but I thought we finished really strong. I asked the players at half-time to show character and desire and they did that.

“I could not be any more prouder of those lads as a group of players. They kept taking the game to MK Dons and, in the end, it was only the width of a line, possibly, that stopped us equalising.

“We are 10th in the league and there is loads of football to play and our club is in a great place. Our fan-base is solid and away support is great and we have got two fantastic owners so let’s see what the season can bring.”