Chesterfield 1 v 0 Notts County: Spireites secure third consecutive National League win as club honours legend Ernie Moss

The only goal of the game came on 27 minutes when Gevaro Nepomuceno met a cross first time on the volley to get off the mark for the club since joining on loan from Oldham Athletic last month.

The three points keep Town in 18th position but moves them five points clear of the relegation zone.

It was a much-improved performance by the Blues on home soil in front of the BT Sport cameras against play-off chasing County who had only lost two of their last 15.

Chesterfield honoured club legend Ernie Moss, who turned 70 last weekend, with applause in the 70th minute and his image featured on the front cover of the matchday programme and on the big screen inside the stadium.

John Sheridan made four changes to the side that was dumped out of the FA Cup by Wrexham on Tuesday.

Shwan Jalal returned in goal and captain Will Evans replaced Anthony Gerrard at the heart of defence, while Curtis Weston came in for Liam Mandeville and Scott Boden was selected ahead of top scorer Mike Fondop.

It was a quiet opening 20 minutes in terms of chances for either side although County comfortably had more possession and won themselves a couple of corners, while former Spireite Kristian Dennis fired well over the bar from distance.

Two minutes later Dennis had another sight of goal when his curling effort from 20 yards on the angle whizzed past the far post and then County's leading scorer brought a smart save from Jalal with a low drive inside the box.

But it was Chesterfield who took the lead on 27 minutes when Nepomuceno slammed the ball home on the volley at the far post after arriving late to meet a Boden cross.

Neal Ardley's in-form Magpies continued to enjoy more of the possession but created little of note.

Town had one last effort at goal before the break when Nepomuceno and Boden led a counter-attack but the latter fired high and wide from the edge of the box.

After half-time Richard Brindley fired a free-kick from 30 yards well over the bar.

Sheridan was becoming frustrated at Tom Denton's ability to keep hold of the ball for the Blues and replaced him with Fondop just before the hour.

Chesterfield thought they had doubled their lead on 62 minutes when Evans powered in a header from a Jay Sheridan cross but the goal was ruled offside.

Straight from the resulting free-kick County countered and a shot towards goal was headed over his own bar by Weston.

County made a double substitution on 65 minutes which saw ex-Town player Dennis replaced.

In the 70th minute all four sides of the Proact joined in a round of applause for Chesterfield's all-time top scorer Moss, who plundered 191 goals in three spells at the club, and who was in attendance at the game with his family.

Mitch Rose headed wide from a corner with just seconds remaining much to the relief of the home faithful.

There has not been much to cheer for Chesterfield fans this season but this was a good day for Sheridan's men.

Chesterfield (4-1-3-2): Jalal; Yarney, Evans (c), Hollis, Sheridan; Smith; Rowley, Weston, Nepomuceno; Denton (Fondop, 58), Boden (Spyrou, 88). Subs: Gerrard, Fondop, Mandeville, McGlashan, Spyrou.

Notts County: Slocombe. McCrory, Rose, Turner, Doyle (c), Dennis (Thomas, 65), Boldewijn, Wootton, Bakayogo (Booty, 65), Brindley, Shields (Tyson, 87). Subs: Thomas, Tyson, Booty, Kelly-Evans, Osborne.

Referee: Andrew Miller

Attendance: 5,432 (1,422 away)