Loan Round-Up: Player Of The Match Araujo

With games across the EFL and in Europe being postponed due to international call-ups, only a couple of our loanees were in action this weekend.

But there was success for our young lads as Harvey Araujo scooped Chesterfield’s Man of the Match award in their 2-2 draw with Notts County and Luca Ashby-Hammond made his first league appearance for Gillingham.

Araujo, who has started three of Chesterfield’s last four games, starred against high-flying Notts County. The hosts were only denied the three points by a last-gasp equaliser from David McGoldrick, with the experienced striker scoring from a rebound after seeing his penalty saved.

Araujo was given the task of keeping the prolific Alasanna Jatta quiet, and while the Gambian forward did score for the visitors, the 20-year-old’s best moment came when he made a perfectly timed challenge on the striker.

After winning the Spireites’ Fans’ Man of the Match award with 53.6% of the vote, Araujo said: “I’m happy with the performance I displayed but I wanted the clean sheet. It didn’t happen but I feel I played pretty well.”

Speaking about his time in Derbyshire so far, he added: “It’s been a great experience. Playing in front of fans, especially like Chesterfield’s who are selling out stadiums, it’s a great experience for myself.

“I feel like I’m becoming an adult more and it’s a different experience, which I feel I need to go through as a young player.”

Elsewhere in the fourth tier, Ashby-Hammond made his league debut for Gillingham. Prior to Saturday’s defeat to Accrington Stanley, the goalkeeper had only played in the Bristol Street Motors Trophy for his new loan club, but he was called upon from the bench after Glenn Morris was forced off with an injury.

Ashby-Hammond played 20 minutes between the sticks, but the Gills suffered a late 2-1 defeat against Accrington. Next up for Gillingham and Ashby-Hammond is a trip to Valley Parade to face Bradford City and Olly Sanderson.