Bonis and Markanday on the mark as Chesterfield turn on the style to see off York City

After the visitors shaded the first half, the Spireites took control after the break with their best half of football of the season producing goals for Lee Bonis and Dilan Markanday and a 2-0 win. The woodwork was struck four times.

After the low of the late defeat to Rotherham a few weeks ago, it’s now back-to-back league wins and five unbeaten in league and cup for a side growing in confidence.

The first Football League meeting between the two clubs in 13 years took inearly 20 minutes to spark into life, Bonis stabbing over after York were caught trying to play out from the back.

The visitors had three ex-Spireites in their line-up in Jeff King, Ollie Banks and substitute Jack Hunt.

Banks was involved in a lot of their best work but it was King who went closest to scoring first when crashing a shot off the underside of the bar.

Suddenly, you couldn’t take your eyes off the action, both sides giving the other not a moment’s piece.

Marsh twice worked goalkeeper Alfie McNally and home keeper Ryan Boot nearly lost possession to a lurking Ollie Pearce, scorer of 35 goals last season for the National League champions.

Kyle McFadzean popped up with a goal-saving interception to ensure the first half ended goalless.

Cook had reverted to the same XI of the league game at Oldham and his interval team talk had a positive effect on the team.

They came out on the front foot and nearly took the lead when Remeao Hutton’s ball inside suddenly gave Louie Marsh a free run to goal. The Sheffield United loanee composed himself and his shot cannoned back off a post.

The pressure told on 57 minutes.

George McEachran slid the ball to Bonis and he fired into the roof of the net for his third of the season.

The action didn't relent. Penalty yells for a foul on Marsh were waved away before a rare break brought lovely applause from the home supporters for old boy King as he was substituted by York, Cook joining in.

The manager put on the fresh legs of Liam Mandeville, Joel Randall and Kiano Dyer, the star of the EFL Trophy win over Manchester City U21s in midweek, as Chesterfield tried to put the match to bed.

Bossing the closing stages and moving the ball beautifully, the woodwork twice denied them. Markanday hit the outside of the post from Lewis Gordon’s feed and then lovely passing ended with Bonis striking the crossbar. York could barely get out of their own half.

The addition of seven minutes of stoppage time didn’t help the home nerves but a belated City was rally was repelled before the match was sealed in thrilling style.

Markanday took the ball deep and ran down the flank, shook off his marker and then cut inside to bury a shot in off the post for 2-0.

Cook’s troops deservedly went off to a standing ovation.

Chesterfield (4-2-3-1): Boot; Hutton, McFadzean (capt), Simpson, Gordon (Pearce 85); Stirk, McEeachran (Dyer 70); Markanday, Marsh (Mandeville 71), Koroma (Randall 71;) Bonis (Bryden 88)

Subs: Naylor, Mandeville, Bryden, Eccleston, Dyer, Randall, Pearce

York (3-4-2-1): NcNally; Fallowfield (capt), Johnson, Kitching; King (Malcolm 63), Hunt (Read 73), Banks, Boyes; Newby (Maguire 73), Pearce; Grey

Subs: Sykes-Kenworthy, Medley, Maguire, Read, Malcolm, Felix, Hunt

Referee: Ben Speedie

Attendance: 8,637 (1,046 visitors)