The Spireites notched three vital points at Oxford City, winning 2-1 after goals from Tom Naylor and Will Grigg at the end of each half to take a clear lead at the top of the table.
Other results on the night ensured the Spireites go into the televised game on Saturday as leaders but City fought tooth and nail and will shock other teams if they can maintain this standard of performance.
The Spireites arrived at the RAW Charging Stadium for their first ever fixture against Oxford City with one of the three 100% records in the division. City’s first season at this level of the pyramid has proved much tougher as they continued to look for their opening point of the campaign.
Paul Cook made three changes from the side that defeated Fylde at the weekend. In came Ash Palmer for the injured Tyrone Williams, Michael Jacobs took over from Ollie Banks and James Berry made his debut as Armando Dobra missed out.
The game kicked off in perfect conditions: no sign of rain, almost no breeze and a cooling temperature; the pitch is artIficial but the players have been training this week on a similar surface.
The Spireites kicked off and immediately found controversy as Ryan Colclough was harshly booked for what the referee a considered a dive in the game’s first attack.
The game started to open up with both sides pressing well but the first real effort came from the home side. A four-man move saw Reece Fleet try a shot from inside the area but Harry Tyrer wasn’t seriously troubled by the effort.
Moments later, Berry, playing wide left, spotted Grigg and found him well; unfortunately Grigg wasn’t able to control the pass cleanly.
Berry was showing no nerves on his debut, he wanted the ball and was confident with the possession he had.
Just after the mid-point of the half Latrell Humphrey-Ewers received on the edge of the area but was dispossessed just as he looked to turn and shoot; certainly the Hoops were competing well.
Berry received on the left but was clumsily bundled over close to the corner flag; he took the kick himself but an off-side decision ended the move.
Moments later the Spireites gained a flag-kick, Berry took that too but the ball was hit with too much pace for Grimes to connect cleanly.
There were a couple of promising moves from the Spireites, both involving Colclough – first Grigg received well but there were no takers for his central ball; moments later Berry couldn’t control a strong ball in at the far post and headed wide.
Berry was everywhere, he tore down the left, burst on goal and forced a low down save from Chris Haigh; of course he took the corner – and it was a peach – and Naylor rose well to head powerfully home and give the Spireites a narrow lead at the interval that they just about deserved but City had competed well and had given a good account of themselves.
The second half kicked off with the floodlights in use and Chesterfield kicking towards their travelling fans.
Colclough received some early rough treatment and gained two free-kicks just outside the area but neither ended with a threat.
After 57 minutes, Cook made his first change as Banks replaced debutant Berry.
City were continuing to probe and finally found a way through; Lewis Coyle, on the left, spotted an opening and floated over the perfect ball at the far post for Josh Parker to coolly slot home.
Parker continued to be a danger and twice had to be marshalled well to avert further threat. From a free-kick on the edge of the area Humphrey-Ewers hit wildly over.
The Spireites looked to step up a gear and from a Mandeville corner on the right substitute Jeff King hit narrowly over and Palmer’s header from a subsequent corner posed no test for Haigh.
With five minutes remaining Darren Oldaker became Cook’s final change as Liam Mandeville made way.
Within two minutes Grigg had given the Spireites the lead thanks to a superb through ball down the middle from substitute Oldaker that just required a touch home.
Five added minutes were signalled and City pushed hard but Chesterfield were determined to hold on and see it out they did but at the end they knew they’d been in a tough battle but just had enough in them to edge a hard-fought win.
Chesterfield: Tyrer, Horton (King 72), Naylor, Grimes (c), Mandeville (Oldaker 85), Grigg, Colclough, Palmer, Berry (Banks 57), Jacobs
Substitutes not used: Quigley, Jones
Referee: Farai Hallam
