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Match recap: Chesterfield return to winning ways and extend lead at top of table after 2-0 victory at Woking

Chesterfield have extended their lead at the top of the National League with a 2-0 win at Woking. Credit: Photo © P L Chadwick (cc-by-sa/2.0)
Chesterfield have extended their lead at the top of the National League with a 2-0 win at Woking. Credit: Photo © P L Chadwick (cc-by-sa/2.0)

Paul Cook made six changes to the side that lost 2-1 at Southend at the weekend - with Ryheem Sheckleford, Miguel Freckleton, Mike Jones, Armando Dobra, James Berry and Joe Quigley all coming into the starting eleven.

It was a quiet start to the game from the Spireites - who kept hold of the ball comfortably in the early stages without testing Woking’s backline.

Grimes and Palmer were excellent at the heart of the Spireites defence - stopping Woking from creating any real chances across the 90 minutes.

The first big chance fell to Chesterfield after 35 minutes, following positive work down the left wing from Armando Dobra. He set the ball for James Berry - but his effort was well-saved by Andre Jr. in the Woking goal.

Only a few minutes after the Spireites fashioned their first opportunity, they went on to open the scoring. They looked to have wasted possession on a couple of occasions, but the ball eventually fell to Tom Naylor. His superb pass played Quigley through on goal, who expertly beat the offside trap and fired beyond the keeper.

The Spireites went into the break with a narrow 1-0 lead, but grew into the game in the second half.

After an hour, Amond fired an effort straight at Harry Tyrer - one of the few times he was called into action across the game.

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Ryan Colclough replaced James Berry and quickly set about troubling the Woking back line. He should have doubled Chesterfield’s lead on 78 minutes, after embarking on a brilliant run and beating four defenders - before eventually seeing his effort parried wide for a corner.

The Spireites did get a well-deserved second goal on 79 minutes. Quigley brought the ball down and laid it off to Mandeville, who twisted beyond his man and set up Dobra - who tapped home to put Chesterfield 2-0 ahead.

That was how the game finished, and the Spireites are now eight points ahead of Barnet in second place. Chesterfield are next in action at home against Eastleigh this Saturday.