Chesterfield dumped out of FA Cup by Wrexham

Chesterfield failed to reach the first round proper of the FA Cup for the first time in 94 years after losing 1-0 at Wrexham in a replay.
Anthony Spyrou threatens the Wrexham goal.Anthony Spyrou threatens the Wrexham goal.
Anthony Spyrou threatens the Wrexham goal.

It was the third game between the two sides in eight days, with the Spireites beating the Red Dragons in the National League before a draw at the Proact on Saturday.

But Dean Keates’ men got their revenge as JJ Hooper’s 30th-minute goal separated the sides at the Racecourse Ground.

Manager John Sheridan named six changes for the replay.

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Luke Coddington, Anthony Gerrard, Jonathon Smith, Liam Mandeville, Anthony Spyrou and Scott Boden all came into the side after Saturday’s 1-1 draw at the Proact.

Chesterfield had to soak up early pressure during their second trip to Wrexham in a week.

Spireites’ shot-stopper Coddington, making his first appearance since the drubbing at Sutton, made an easy early save from Hooper’s header.

Defender Jake Lawlor should have done better from Hooper’s knockdown when he volleyed over.

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James Jennings and Paul Rutherford linked up well with the latter nodding wide of Coddington’s goal.

The pressure told on the half-hour mark as former Port Vale striker Hooper bagged his third goal of the season.

Hooper did well to meet Jennings’ cross from the left-hand side and give the hosts a deserved lead.

On the stroke of the break Boden could only nod straight at Rob Lainton.

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The Spireites came firing out of the blocks after the break without much reward.

On the hour mark Oldham loanee Gevaro Nepomuceno forced Lainton into a great save to tip his curling free-kick round the post.

Mandeville did well to spot Boden’s run, but the striker couldn’t beat Lainton.

Down the other end Coddington made a superb double save to keep the Spireites in the game by first denying substitute Mark Harris, before saving Rutherford’s follow up.

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Sheridan’s men huffed and puffed to force the game into extra time but failed to find the vital goal.

Jermaine McGlashan was thwarted by Lainton at point-blank range at the death, before Coddington kept at Grant’s attempted lob.

Wrexham: Lainton, Jennings, Lawlor, Redmond (Young, 70), Grant, Rutherford, Barton, Horsfield, Wright (Summerfield, 86), Chambers, Hooper (Harris, 67).

Unused subs: Dibble, Tollitt, Oswell, Carrington.

Chesterfield: Coddington, Yarney (Wakefield, 76), Gerrard, Hollis, Sheridan, Smith, Rowley (McGlashan, 66), Mandeville, Gevaro, Spyrou (Denton, 71), Boden.

Unused subs: Buchanan, Evans, McKay, Fondop.

Referee: Joe Hall

Attendance: 2,023 (71)