Review - Stevenage 0 v 1 Spireites
First the points, then the pints.
That was a phrase coined by former Wolves manager Vitor Pereira, who was a very popular figure at Molineux last season, guiding them to safety in the Premier League, before he was sacked this week after no wins in their first 10 games.
And it looks like Spireites goalkeeper Zach Hemming has taken inspiration from the Portuguese, with videos of the stopper enjoying himself in the Crown & Anchor pub after recent home matches, with a pint in one hand and a microphone in the other, as he belts out ‘we’re all Town aren’t we.’
Hemming has good reason to let off some steam. He has recorded two clean sheets in his last four games and has made some points-winning saves against Salford City and Fleetwood Town, as well as in the win against Stevenage in the FA Cup at the weekend.
In my six years of covering the club, Chesterfield have never really had a standout goalkeeper of their own. Grant Smith looked a safe pair of hands but he was not around for long. Scott Loach had a great CV. And Harry Tyrer left with a title medal but he was of course on loan from Everton. Getting a number one on a permanent deal was a priority last summer and they secured Hemming’s services on a three-year contract after paying Middlesbrough a small fee for him.
That bit of business is starting to look shrewd. At 25, his best years are ahead of him, with many agreeing that goalkeepers tend to improve with age. By the time he reaches the end of his current contract, he could just be about to come into his prime. When he signed he said he wanted to find a club where him and his young family could settle down and find somewhere they could call home and it looks like Chesterfield could be that place.
Standing between the sticks at the Lamex Stadium on Saturday, he looked a really tall and commanding presence. He’s becoming more confident and aggressive at coming and taking everything from corners. His distribution has got better since he first arrived. And he is making match-winning saves.
There will be some difficult days along the way but Spireites fans won’t mind if their social media feeds are filled with more footage of Hemming on the karaoke. If his drinking is like his recent performances, he won’t have spilled a drop.
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