A second-half strike from substitute Liam Mandeville gave the Spireites a 1-0 win at Eastleigh to make it four wins in a row and a third straight victory on the road.
James Rowe made two changes with Josef Yarney and Joe Rowley replacing Laurence Maguire and Nathan Tyson. In Maguire’s absence, Curtis Weston took the captain’s armband.
Eastleigh had a chance in the opening minute when Dan Smith put a header on target but Grant Smith gathered the ball easily.
Akwasi Asante threatened to find a way through but Andrew Boyce got back to make an important challenge.
When Boyce headed goalwards after meeting Jack Payne’s corner, Martin Smith was there to divert the ball over.
Tom Whelan tried a shot which was deflected for a corner.
Haydn Hollis picked up a knock around the half-hour mark which resulted in the defender receiving treatment before being replaced by Mandeville.
There was a let-off for the Spireites a few minutes before the interval when Weston cleared off the line following a Payne corner.
Ryan Hill then put a low curling shot on target but Smith was equal to it.
Tyson came on at the start of the second half as a replacement for Rowley.
The Spireites rode their luck again when there was another goal-line block to keep out a header from Boyce.
Chesterfield responded by going close twice in the space of a minute or so. Whelan fired in a shot which was saved by McDonnell and then George Carline tested the keeper with an effort from the edge of the area which was well saved.
Yarney also threatened with a header which went wide as the Spireites enjoyed a good spell.
The breakthrough came when Mandeville (61) struck an acrobatic volley after Carline’s long throw was headed on.
Tyson went close to adding a second six minutes later after he ran on to a great ball from Mandeville and fired in a shot which produced a fine save from McDonnell.
Rowe made a final change in the 75th minute when Whelan was replaced by Jack Clarke.
Boyce met a Payne free kick with a header late on but it lacked the power or direction to test Smith.
Chesterfield’s final effort came from Asante whose low driven free-kick was deflected off-target.
Spireites: G Smith, Carline, Kerr, Hollis (Mandeville), Yarney, Whittle, M Smith, Weston, Whelan (Clarke), Rowley, Asante
Unused substitutes: Dinanga, & Yussuf
