Spireites score five in victory at Morecambe

The Spireites picked up another three points on the road, winning 5-2 at Morecambe, finally breaking the deadlock with two goals from second-half substitutes James Berry and Armando Dobra.

The game was all but over when another substitute, Jamie Grimes, headed home for the Spireites’ fifth to seal an emphatic win;

Morecambe succumbed but their first-half efforts belied their foot-of-the-table position; second-half changes for the Spireites brought about a much stronger performance that the Shrimps simply couldn’t handle.

The Spireites arrived at Christie Way looking to extend their seven-match unbeaten run whereas the Shrimps will have been equally determined to avoid a third straight defeat.

Paul Cook made three changes from the midweek fixture. In came Liam Mandeviile, Paddy Madden and Ryan Colclough as Ollie Banks, James Berry and Will Grigg had to make way.

The conditions, as the game got underway, were perfect for football; heavy overnight rain had given way to a crisp, sunny day that was yet to warm significantly due to the early start.

The Spireites were defending the end that housed their large noisy following but had to be patient as Morecambe took the early initiative. Once into their stride the Spireites broke well; in the eightth minute Dilan Markanday received centrally on the edge of the area and, when it looked like he’d lay off, hit for goal. His shot found the net thanks to a strong deflection off Morecambe’s Tom White.

The Spireites didn’t have chance to consolidate before the home side levelled just two minutes later. The Shrimps won a free-kick wide right; Adam Lewis floated a great ball into the box and Ben Tollitt glanced neatly home.

Quite a tussle was emerging between Harvey Araujo and Marcus Dackers and after 20 minutes, Dackers picked up the game’s first yellow card for a foul on Spireites keeper Max Thompson.

Morecambe, despite their position in the table, were proving to be a real handful and the game, at the half-hour mark, was very evenly matched.

A stunning through ball from Markanday fed Madden who burst forward, but sadly referee Tom Reeves accepted the offside flag.

Great work, at the other end, by the impressive Dackers allowed David Tutonda a clear opening; his hit flew inches wide of Thompson’s left upright.

Minutes later, Tutonda’s next effort whizzed across the area from wide-left, thankfully out to safety.

Just before the break another offside call saved the home side; Madden floated over a great ball from the left, Naylor picked up and looked to be set for a hit when he saw the flag,

In time added at the end of the half, an absolute screamer from Dackers was diverted away for a corner; Morecambe couldn’t capitalise and it was parity at the interval.

Paul Cook chose to make a double substitution at the start of the second half. Jamie Grimes took over from Harvey Araujo and Armando Dobra replaced Vontae Daley-Campbell.

Two minutes into the half, the Spireites won a free-kick two yards outside the area. Up stepped Darren Oldaker who blasted sweetly home to the home keeper’s left.

Chesterfield had certainly stepped up a gear and looked much more threatening in the early stages of the second period

Liam Mandeville was dragged to the floor wide right; he took the free kick; Madden got his head to the ball but his connection lacked power.

A great ball down found Adam Lewis, his ball into the box had too much pace for Naylor who unfortunately turned the ball past Thompson.

After 64 minutes, the Spireites’ boss made another double change as Berry and Grigg joined the game, making way were Colclough and Madden

Berry made an immediate impression as he beat two on the left and put in a peach of a ball that saw Grigg just fail to connect with.

Moments later, Berry did the job himself as he curled home from the edge of the area with a super strike.

Morecambe wouldn’t give up and Callum Jones hit from outside the area and brought a finger-tip low down save from Thompson.

Banks was the final change for the Spireites as he replaced Markanday.

Berry was influential again after 81 minutes, his stunning long ball into the path of Dobra enabled him to control well and slot home from close range.

With a minute to go, Grimes put the icing on the cake with a neat back post header direct from Liam Mandeville’s corner.

It was almost six in added time when Berry clattered the crossbar from 35 yards out but the game was over as the Spireites saw out the remaining minutes with ease.

Chesterfield: Thompson, Daley-Campbell (Dobra 46), Naylor, Araujo (Grimes 46), Mandeville, Oldaker, Colclough (Berry 64), Gordon, Markanday (Banks 79), Metcalfe, Madden (Grigg 64)

Substitutes not used: Rinaldo, Jacobs

Referee: Tom Reeves

Attendance: 3,666 Including (960 Chesterfield supporters)