Chesterfield climb back into play-offs with hard-fought win against Salford City - report

The Spireites took the lead on 62 minutes when Liam Mandeville’s deep corner was headed back across goal by Chey Dunkley and Ollie Turton turned it into his own net.

Salford City came close to equalising when Daniel Udoh’s low shot was brilliantly tipped onto the post by Zach Hemming.

And that proved vital as the Blues wrapped up the points when Ronan Darcy pounced from close-range after the visitors failed to clear James Berry’s cross.

The victory means Town climb from ninth to sixth as they recorded their first clean sheet in the league for two months. They also remain unbeaten at home this season and it was a good way to bounce back after last week’s hammering at Colchester United.

TEAM NEWS

There were five changes for Chesterfield from the last league game, a 6-2 defeat at Colchester. In came Vontae Daley-Campbell, Kyle McFadzean, Tom Naylor, Dilan Markanday and Lee Bonis for Devan Tanton, Jamie Grimes, John Fleck, Will Dickson and Will Grigg.

Salford City came into this one sixth in the table but having lost their last two in the league. However, like the Spireites, they beat higher league opposition in Stockport County in the EFL Trophy in midweek.

FIRST HALF

It was a competitive first 45 with a half chance or two for either side. It was the type of game where a mistake or a moment of magic would win it.

Naylor was shown a yellow card in the first five minutes, which was his fifth of the season in the league, which will trigger a one-match suspension. The midfielder went into the book for a challenge on Udoh but he also had a case for it being a foul on him. Paul Cook made that known to referee Oliver Mackey with a few verbals from the touchline and he was also shown a yellow card.

Referee Mackey continued to frustrate the home faithful with his decision-making and so came the biggest cheer of the day when he was forced off injured just before half-time, replaced by fourth official Sam Wesson.

In terms of chances, Bonis prodded wide from a Ryan Stirk cross, Bonis then headed on target from a Daley-Campbell cross, and Dunkley nodded wide from a Stirk corner. But none of those could be classed as clear-cut.

The same could be said for Salford, whose only moment came when Kadeem Harris was waiting at the back post to pounce on a Kallum Casey cross but some alert defending from Daley-Campbell thwarted the danger.

It meant the match was in the balance going into the second-half.

SECOND HALF

Markanday brought a parried save out of Mark Howard early after the break, with Mandeville and Naylor both having stabs at the rebound.

The Spireites were pondering changes on the hour-mark but they took the lead soon after when Mandeville’s deep corner was headed back across by Dunkley and Turton turned it into his own net.

The visitors came close to equalising with 15 minutes remaining but Hemming superbly tipped Udoh’s low shot onto the post.

Salford searched for an equlaliser and substitute Kelly N’Mai claimed for a penalty for handball against Dunkley, who headed over from a Markanday cross down the other end as the game entered the latter stages.

But the Blues put the game to bed on 83 minutes when the visitors did not deal with Berry’s cross into the box and Darcy pounced from close-range to give the hosts some breathing space.

Chesterfield: Hemming; Daley-Campbell, Dunkley, McFadzean, Gordon; Naylor, Stirk; Markanday, Mandeville (Darcy, 68), Dobra (Berry, 68); Bonis (Dickson, 89)

Unused subs: Tanton, Donacien, Lewis, Fleck.