Chesterfield sunk underdogs Horsham 3-1 in the FA Cup first round through a brace from Will Grigg and a third through Armando Dobra.
Horsham got one back through Chris Dickson late on, but it was not enough to mount a comeback at the SMH Group Stadium.
Grigg opened the scoring inside just six minutes for the Spireites, tapping home Devan Tanton’s low-driven cross following Jenson Metcalfe’s inch-perfect ball to the wide position.
There were big shouts for a Chesterfield penalty not long later as Grigg chased down a ball through and laid it off for James Berry whose shot seemed to be blocked by Horsham skipper Jack Brivio’s arm, but the referee was unmoved.
Berry had two shots on goal in quick session, the first was a curling effort which just evaded the far post after being set up by Michael Jacobs and the second was on target from a similar position, but Lewis Carey saved comfortably.
Horsham’s first real chance came in the 37thminute as Reece Meekums’ floated cross to the back post was headed by Lee Harding but Lewis Gordon managed to block the effort which resulted in a corner.
Two minutes later, Harvey Sparks’ ambitious shot on goal for the visitors from 25 yards out arrowed past Max Thompson’s near post.
Another chance for the visitors came in the 42ndminute through Harding again who cut in onto his left foot and looked to find the far-bottom corner, but Tom Naylor’s outstretched leg blocked the attempt.
Grigg’s early strike separated the two sides at the interval despite Chesterfield’s dominance, however, Horsham begun to create a few chances of their own towards the latter stages of the half.
The Spireites struck even quicker after the break than they did in the first half, again through Grigg. Just four minutes after the restart, Jacobs’ wayward shot was controlled excellently by Grigg before he fired past Carey with his second touch for his brace.
Grigg’s substitute replacement Paddy Madden was so close to getting onto the scoresheet in the 64th minute as he headed Lewis Gordon’s cross goalward but was denied by the woodwork.
Dobra put the game beyond doubt in the 65thminute after picking up the ball on the edge of the box and weaving past numerous defenders before smashing a shot past Carey.
The closest that Horsham had come in the game up to this point was with 15 minutes left to play as Sparks sent Daniel Ajakaiye through and his cut-back hit Harvey Araujo and ricocheted off the post and wide for a corner.
Some excellent football almost earned the Spireites a fourth goal in the 83rd minute through Jacobs as he tapped in Ollie Banks’ cross, but the celebrations were cut short as the linesman’s flag was raised for offside.
The underdogs managed to score a consolation goal in the 85th minute through Chris Dickson as he raced through the Spireites’ defence and his shot beat Thompson, finding the roof of the net.
There was not enough time for the visitors to make a comeback against the Spireites and the tie ended 3-1 which sees Chesterfield progress to the FA Cup second round, with the draw being made tomorrow at 7:45pm on BBC Two.
Paul Cook’s side will return to League Two action nexd Saturday, facing Accrington Stanley at the SMH Group Stadium.
Spireites: Thompson, Tanton (Mandeville 57), Naylor, Araujo, Gordon, Metcalfe, Oldaker (Fleck 72), Jacobs, Dobra (Banks 72), Berry (Colclough 57), Grigg (Madden 57)
Unused Subs: Rinaldo, Grimes, Williams, Jones.
Attendance: 4,887 (558 Horsham fans)
