The Spireites secured their first win of 2025, beating Bromley at the SMH Group Stadium, thanks to goals from Armando Dobra, Ryan Colclough and Paddy Madden.
Paul Cook made two changes from the starting XI that drew 1-1 with Port Vale on Saturday as new signing Dylan Duffy started in place of Colclough, to make his debut, and Janoi Donacien made way for Ryheem Sheckleford.
Duffy showed a glimpse of what Spireites fans can expect from him in the sixth minute, whipping in a dangerous cross towards Bim Pepple, but it was cut out by a Bromley defender before reaching the striker.
Pepple beat the Bromley offside trap, to start a Chesterfield counter-attack, and laid the ball off to Dobra after some strong hold-up play, but the effort was wayward and did not trouble ex-Spireite Grant Smith in goal.
A towering Jamie Grimes header, beating Michael Cheek, set Pepple on his way down the left flank, the striker smashed a ball across the six-yard box, but it was slightly ahead of the onrushing Dobra.
Omar Sowunmi was given his marching orders by referee Ollie Yates in the 23rd minute for a late challenge on Tom Naylor. Protests from Bromley manager Andy Woodman also saw him receive a red card.
Darren Oldaker smashed a low effort goal-bound, just short of the half-hour mark, from the edge of the box on his weaker left foot, but Smith got down to save.
Jack Sparkes delivered a pin-point cross towards Pepple, who was arriving at the back post, but the header was not directed goalwards.
Dobra (36) broke the deadlock with a perfect curling effort from the edge of the box, for his 11th goal of the season, leaving Smith with no chance of stopping the Goal of the Season contender.
Minutes later, Duffy took on an effort from a similar area. Smith made the stop, this time, getting down low to his left.
Cook’s side started the second half just as brightly as they finished the first as Duffy, from the left wing, picked out an unmarked Naylor in the middle, but his shot was miscued.
Substitute Colclough doubled the Spireites’ advantage in the 82nd minute after Madden won possession and laid the ball off to Dobra, whose tricky run ended with a ball across the box for the number 11 to tap home, off the crossbar.
Madden (90+2) made it three for the Spireites after latching on to a perfectly-weighted ball from John Fleck, bearing down on goal and finishing into the roof of the net.
The Spireites travel to Cheltenham Town on Saturday for the early 12:30pm kick-off.
Spireites: Thompson, Sheckleford, McFadzean (Metcalfe 81’), Grimes ©, Sparkes, Naylor, Oldaker (Fleck 85’), Mandeville, Dobra (Banks 85’), Duffy (Colclough 69’), Pepple (Madden 69’).
Unused subs: Boot, Horton.
Attendance: 7,192 (92 away)
