The Spireites defeated bottom of the league Carlisle United 2-1 at the SMH Group Stadium to extend their unbeaten run to six games, thanks to goals from Liam Mandeville and substitute Paddy Madden.
Paul Cook made three changes from the team that beat Barrow at the weekend as Ryan Colclough, Bim Pepple and Tom Naylor were replaced by Michael Olakigbe, Will Grigg and John Fleck, making his full league debut for the Spireites.
An early chance arose for the visitors as Jamie Grimes’ ball across the defensive line to Ash Palmer was intercepted by Georgie Kelly shot first-time, straight at Ryan Boot to save comfortably.
Mandeville’s eighth-minute corner was only cleared as far as the edge of the box by Carlisle. Jenson Metcalfe took on an effort from the resultant loose ball but his shot kept on rising, over the crossbar.
Some good work from Olakigbe, on the right-wing presented Ollie Banks with the opportunity to turn and shoot from the edge of the box, 15 minutes in, forcing Gabe Breeze to tip over the driven effort.
Banks came close, again to scoring the opener, glancing Metcalfe’s in-swinging corner inches wide of the Carlisle goal, just short of the half-an-hour mark.
The Spireites thought they had the lead, through Armando Dobra, after Grigg chased down a long ball and cut back to Olakigbe, who could not keep the pass under control, before the Albanian flashed the loose ball wide.
The visitors were reduced to ten men as Elliot Embleton was sent off by referee Andrew Humphries, for his halfway-line challenge on Dobra in the 40th minute.
The two sides went into the break level at 0-0, with the Spireites having the better of both chances and possession but unable to break the deadlock.
The second half opened with a flurry of chances for the Spireites in the Carlisle penalty area, with Grigg, Mandeville, Melcalfe and Dobra all having shots on goal, which were either blocked or saved to keep the scores level.
Minutes later, Dobra had a golden chance to put the Spireites ahead, heading Olakigbe’s cross goalward and Breeze parried the effort out. Fleck then struck the stray ball first-time from the edge of the box and a defender managed to deflect just wide.
Breeze pulled off two top-class saves to deny Dobra twice, in the 53rd and 54th minutes. Firstly, a driven effort from 20 yards was tipped over and then a curling effort towards the far post was denied by a full-stretch save.
Mandeville was denied at point-blank range by yet another brilliant save after he was picked out unmarked at the back post by Olakigbe, just past the hour-mark.
The deadlock was eventually broken after 74 minutes, by Mandeville, to give the Spireites a well-deserved lead. Metcalfe saw his shot from inside the box blocked but the ball fell perfectly into the path of the unmarked Spireites’ number seven to slot under Breeze.
Substitute Madden doubled the Spireites’ advantage in the 81st minute after Dobra struck the bar from Banks’ cross and the Irishman was on hand to head home the rebound.
Against the run of play, Joe Hugill dragged the visitors back into the game, in the 89th minute, after latching onto Grimes’ sideways pass and smashing past Boot.
The Spireites will turn their attention to their trip to Tranmere on Saturday, aiming to win a fourth consecutive away game.
Spireites: Boot, Mandeville, Palmer, Grimes ©, Gordon, Fleck (Oldaker 75’), Metcalfe, Dobra (Colclough 83’), Banks (Jacobs 83’), Olakigbe (Duffy 83’), Grigg (Madden 75’).
Unused subs: Thompson, Pepple.
Attendance: 7,508 (309 away)
