Amy Nowell’s late header secured a vital point for the Spireites as they drew 1–1 with second-placed Loughborough on Sunday afternoon.
After the league’s top scorer, Milly Wortley, had given the hosts the lead, it looked as though the title race may have swung in Loughborough’s favour before Nowell powered home six minutes from time to keep Chesterfield’s destiny in their own hands.
The draw means that, with two games remaining, Chesterfield sit top of the league by a single point with the title now within touching distance.
Manager Pete Jarvis was delighted with the resilience his side showed, but reiterated that the job is not yet done.
He said: “It was a fantastic game and we were unlucky not to have won it.
“Considering we were 1-0 down at half-time, we have had to work so hard for that. Loughborough are such a good team, and they made it a big challenge for us today.
“We have kept the league in our hands going into the last two games; we’re in a good position, but still a bit more work to do yet.”
It was a nervy start from the visitors, who allowed Loughborough to dominate possession in the early exchanges and were punished inside seven minutes.
Kelley Francis threaded an intricate pass through to Wortley, who took one touch to set herself before clinically firing into the bottom corner.
Loughborough continued to look the more threatening side after taking the lead, with Chesterfield affording them too much space in midfield during the opening half-hour.
Midway through the first half, Pete Jarvis made a tactical adjustment by introducing Laura Porritt, and the Spireites gradually began to grow into the contest.
Jess Waplington produced a powerful run down the left but dragged her effort wide, with no pink shirt arriving to turn it home.
Chesterfield emerged after the break with renewed intent, and almost immediately, Waplington and Sophie Marshall both had opportunities to restore parity.
Marshall then showed composure in midfield to pick out Elin Morin, whose looping cross nearly caught the goalkeeper out as it clipped the top of the crossbar.
As the clock ticked down, it became increasingly one-way traffic, with Shanelle Ashtei’s deep free-kick almost diverted into her own net by a Loughborough defender, only for the ball to strike the base of the post.
Nowell then connected sweetly with a goal-bound effort that forced Alice Barker into an outstanding save to tip the ball over the bar.
From the resulting corner, however, Morin’s inch-perfect delivery was met by Nowell, whose powerful header flew beyond Barker and into the net to send the travelling supporters into raptures.
The closing stages were tense as the Spireites weighed up whether to push for a winner or protect the valuable point, before the referee’s final whistle confirmed a hard-earned draw that could prove decisive in the title race.
Next up, Mansfield Town visit Debdale on March 22 for the first of two crucial final league fixtures of the season.
