Evie Carter’s hat-trick helped Chesterfield secure a resounding 7-0 win against Gainsborough Trinity on Sunday afternoon.
A double from Elin Morin, plus goals from Jess Waplington and Chloe Foster, strengthened the Spireites’ grip at the top of the league as their unbeaten run stretched to nine games.
After last Sunday’s draw with rivals Mansfield, Chesterfield were eager to get back to winning ways.
And with less than a minute on the clock, they raced into an early lead.
Carter was more alert than the Gainsborough backline and confidently finished past the helpless goalkeeper.
Eager to add a second, Chesterfield’s pressure was relentless, with Laura Porritt having two sights of goal in quick succession.
In the 15th minute, the home side did find the second, and Carter doubled her tally.
The striker, who is in red-hot goalscoring form, managed to squeeze her effort under the onrushing Laura Parsons.
Gainsborough were penned back in their own half as Chesterfield continued to dominate the ball.
Just after the half-hour mark, it looked as though Chesterfield and Carter had their third, but the referee deemed that she had strayed offside.
Foster was the next to go close when her strike cannoned off a post.
After the break, Chesterfield started in a similar vein to the first.
Waplington, who had only come off the bench at half time, struck a thunderous strike past Parsons in the 47th minute.
The one-way traffic continued as Morin added a fourth in the 66th minute, the forward dispatched Waplington’s cross with a composed strike.
Morin grabbed another five minutes later, again showing composure in the area as she placed a powerful shot into the top left corner.
The Spireites continued to dominate the ball as the game entered the final 10 minutes.
With 83 minutes played, Foster, who had been a thorn in the side of Gainsborough defenders all afternoon, coolly rolled her finish underneath Parsons.
Finally, with the final kick of the game, Carter netted her second hat-trick in three games, and this finish was the pick of the bunch as her thumping strike nestled in the roof of the net.
The victory ensured that Chesterfield stays four points clear of Loughborough in second place, and reduced their goal difference advantage to just two goals.
Up next for the Spireites is another home game against sixth-place Stamford AFC on December 14.
