Chesterfield’s play-off hopes were given a huge boost on Tuesday evening as they ran out 2-1 winners in a dramatic game against Grimsby Town.
A quick fire first half double from Liam Mandeville and Lee Bonis put the Spireites into the ascendancy before Jaze Kabia halved the deficit before the break.
It was more late drama as the Mariners were awarded a stoppage time spot kick but for the second successive game, Ryan Boot produced magnificent save from 12 yards to secure all three points.
Paul Cook made three changes to the side that drew 1-1 with Tranmere Rovers on Saturday, with Ryan Stirk and Liam Mandeville restoring their places in the starting XI and Lewis Gordon making his first start since December.
On a night where a win meant so much to both sides, the game was evenly poised in the opening ten minutes.
The first big chance fell Chesterfield’s way as Gordon broke at pace and laid the ball across to Tom Naylor in the area, but the midfielder’s effort was always rising.
Grimsby responded with a golden chance of their own as Andy Cook rolled the ball across the box, with a goal looking certain; however, Sam Curtis’ last-ditch challenge managed to poke the ball out for a corner.
The game got its opening goal in the 31st minute when the Spireites took the lead, and the SMH Group Stadium erupted.
Armando Dobra played Gordon on the left-hand side, and the fullback’s cross was expertly swept home by Mandeville into the far corner.
Then, only three minutes later, Chesterfield doubled their lead in some style.
Sammy Braybrooke’s inch-perfect cross-field ball was controlled superbly by Bonis, and the club’s leading scorer never looked in doubt as he slotted the ball past Jackson Smith.
Buoyed by the electric atmosphere, Bonis almost made it three moments later, but Smith managed to prevent the forward’s finish from squirming through his legs.
Grimsby did manage to silence the home faithful in the 41st minute, however, when Kabia halved the deficit with a close-range strike.
After the break, it was more end-to-end stuff with the Spireites coming close to another when Naylor’s ball across the box was marginally too heavy for Bonis to have a clear strike on goal.
Chesterfield continued to pour forward as the game headed into the final half hour with a string of dangerous crosses only narrowly missing their target.
Despite being under the cosh for large parts of the half, Grimsby came within inches of equalising when Cook’s powerful header rattled off the crossbar in the 70th minute.
As the game ticked over into the final five minutes, it was the Spireites who still looked most likely, with Dilan Markanday looking a threat after coming on as a substitute.
Then Ryan Stirk unleashed a fierce volley from outside the area, which struck the outside of the right-hand post.
Deep into stoppage time, there was a stunned silence around the ground as the referee pointed to the spot after Janoi Donacien was adjudged to have pushed Justin Amaluzor.
But, just like the Tranmere game, Ryan Boot produced more penalty heroics, denying Staunton from the spot and securing the three points.
Chesterfield: Boot, Curtis, McFadzean, Swinkels, Gordon (Donacien 73), Stirk, Naylor, Braybrooke, Mandeville (Markanday 73), Dobra, Bonis
Attendance: 8,661
