Spireites beat Boreham Wood

The Spireites beat promotion rivals Boreham Wood 2-1 at the Technique Stadium.

A Danny Rowe penalty and a fine strike from Kabongo Tshimanga were enough for the Blues to collect all three points against a spirited Boreham Wood side who claimed a consolation goal through ex-Spireite Will Evans. 

James Rowe made two changes to the team that defeated Southend United in the last league game. Injures duo Saidou Khan and Curtis Weston made way for Liam Mandeville and Manny Oyeleke. 

The Spireites created the first opportunity of the game, after a scrappy first five minutes. A Mandeville corner was played short to Jeff King whose cross was headed narrowly wide by captain Gavin Gunning. 

The visitors hit back with a half chance; former Blues man Scott Boden fired a shot from distance that Scott Loach saved comfortably. 

The home side broke the deadlock in the 18th minute. Tshimanga latched onto a through ball and was then upended by Nathan Ashmore in the opposition goal. Rowe stepped up and fired home the spot kick. 

The Wood carved out a good opportunity soon after. Evans drove forward before laying the ball to Jacob Mendy whose low driven shot was tipped round the post by Loach. 

Kane Smith was the next player for Boreham Wood to see an opportunity missed. His shot from the right of the area was skewed wide after a neat give and go. 

The Spireites doubled their lead on the stroke of half time. Rowe held off his man well before finding the feet of Tshimanga, who turned his man before firing a beauty into the top left corner from the edge of the area. 

The first chance of the second period fell the way of the away side. A free kick was awarded on the edge of the area, but Gus Mafuta could only find the stand with his effort. 

The Blues could’ve had three goals in the space of a matter of seconds. First, Mandeville hit a long-range effort that rattled the cross bar. Then Rowe unleashed an effort with plenty of venom that narrowly missed the target. 

From the resulting goal kick, Ashmore’s kick hit his own defender and sent him scrambling to clear it off the line. 

The away side pulled a goal back in the 66th as Evans was allowed time to travel forward before unleashing a shot. Loach’s attempted catch led to the ball slipping through his hands and into the net. 

Laurence Maguire almost replicated Evans’ effort minutes later but saw his effort flash wide of the right-hand post.

Moments later, he had a headed effort saved well down to Ashmore’s left. 

The final action of the game saw Evans sent-off after collecting a second booking for a foul on Stefan Payne.

Chesterfield: Loach, Miller (Whittle 39’), Maguire, Gunning, Kerr, King, Kellermann (McCourt 90’), Oyeleke, Mandeville, Rowe (Payne 87’), Tshimanga

Unused subs: Minter & Grimes

Attendance: 5,474 (52 away)