Spireites draw against Colchester

Will Grigg scored a seventh goal of the season but Chesterfield were held to a 1-1 draw by Colchester United at the SMH Group Stadium.

The Spireites controlled the game after going behind to Jack Payne’s early goal, but could not do enough to claim all three points despite Grigg’s equaliser.

Paul Cook made five changes from Friday night’s 3-0 win at Newport County, with Vontae Daley-Campbell, Tom Naylor, Ollie Banks, James Berry and Grigg handed starts.

Colchester went in front in the sixth minute through a well-placed finish from Payne after Oscar Thorn had won the ball high on the right wing.

Banks drew a save from Matt Macey after Markanday did well to deliver a cross, before Ben Goodliffe was only shown a yellow card for a reckless challenge on Jenson Metcalfe.

The Spireites were inches away from equalising when Berry’s free-kick struck the post and almost crossed the goalline. Macey was called into action to tip the ball over the bar after it was flicked back towards goal by the head of Goodliffe.

Berry and Markanday combined well and the Blackburn loanee could only find the side-netting with a first-time effort. Metcalfe then tried his luck from range to no avail, before Banks headed over from Berry’s cross.

Chesterfield had dominated proceedings after falling behind and Macey was called into action to deny Darren Oldaker an equaliser from a narrow angle

The visitors were able to preserve their slender lead going into half-time.

Colchester United could have doubled their lead seven minutes into the second half when Thorn missed the target from inside the penalty area on the counter-attack.

Metcalfe won a free-kick 25 yards from goal, and Banks’ driven effort somehow evaded everyone in the box. Naylor then tripped Payne in a similar position in Chesterfield’s half, and the Colchester midfielder couldn’t hit the target.

Chesterfield’s equaliser finally came in the 65th minute when Ryan Colclough’s half-volley was flicked past Macey by a subtle touch from Will Grigg.

Substitute Ryan Colclough cut inside and saw his shot saved by Macey, with the goalkeeper then holding onto Armando Dobra’s header and an effort from Markanday.

Former Arsenal goalkeeper Macey was involved again to deny Dobra at his near post, on a busy night for the shot-stopper.

Dobra had the chance to win the game late on but headed narrowly wide from Liam Mandeville’s cross, before the Spireites couldn’t find the net in seven minutes of injury time, and were held to a fifth consecutive draw at home.

Chesterfield: Thompson, Naylor, Araujo, Oldaker, Grigg (Madden 80), Berry (Colclough 67), Gordon, Daley-Campbell (Mandeville 67), Markanday (Jacobs 88), Metcalfe (Dobra 67), Banks.

Unused substitutes: Rinaldo, Grimes, Jacobs.

Attendance: 7,465 (208)