The Spireites secured a vital 1-0 win over Gillingham on Tuesday evening thanks to Sam Curtis’ first-half strike, seeing them climb back up into the play-off places.
Curtis’ goal means that Chesterfield moved up to sixth in League Two and recorded their first clean sheet in three games.
Paul Cook made three changes to the side that drew 1-1 with Harrogate Town on Saturday. Will Grigg came in for the suspended Lee Bonis, while Ryan Stirk and Armando Dobra were also given starting berths against the Gills.
It was the visitors who started on the front foot as they launched several long throw-ins into the area, which Chey Dunkley dealt with comfortably.
Shortly after, Zach Hemming was forced into the first save of the game when Ronan Hale cut inside and fired a low effort that the shot-stopper reacted well to.
Then, with their first real attacking foray of the game, the Spirietes took a 16th-minute lead.
A low corner was flicked on at the near post by Sil Swinkels to Curtis, who lashed his volley past Glenn Morris.
Chesterfield maintained their pressure after the goal, with the visitors resorting to fouls to halt the Spireites’ momentum.
Gillingham had another chance from a ball into the area just after the half-hour mark, when Robbie McKenzie fired a sweetly struck volley that whistled over the bar.
In an end-to-end passage of play, Tom Pearce raced forward and forced a smart stop from Morris after the left-back was encouraged to shoot by the home faithful.
After the break, Gillingham asked early questions of the Spireites rearguard with a number of long throws and crosses into the area, reminiscent of how they started the first period.
Though Chesterfield quickly settled back into their rhythm as Grigg and Liam Mandeville both threatened to break the Gills’ offside trap.
On the hour mark, there were huge appeals for a handball when Tom Naylor’s effort was cleared off the line by Sam Gale, which those in blue believed was with the use of a hand.
Just five minutes later, Dylan Duffy came agonisingly close as his curled effort flew inches past the post.
Duffy was again involved when played through on goal by Stirk, but the winger couldn’t find a way past Morris with his effort.
Bradley Dack then came close for Gillingham after Hemming could only palm away his clearance; however, Dack’s looped header landed on the roof of the net.
Chesterfield had another opportunity late on, thanks to some composed play by Sammy Braybrooke in the middle of the park as the Leicester loanee found James Berry, but his effort was well blocked.
Braybrooke again was the instigator as he played in Pearce, whose drilled effort skidded wide of the far post.
Ultimately, Gillingham offered little in the way of a response late on as Chesterfield saw the game out and secured a huge three points in their play-off hunt.
Chesterfield: Hemming, Curtis, Dunkley, Swinkels, Pearce, Stirk, Braybrooke, Mandeville (Naylor 60), Markanday (Duffy 60), Dobra (Berry 60), Grigg (Ladapo 77)
Attendance: 7,520
