MATCH REPORT: Quickfire double edges Chesterfield closer to safety with win over Dagenham & Redbridge

Their 2-0 win against Dagenham came courtesy of Jonathan Smith’s fierce strike and Scott Boden’s seventh goal in six games.

The goals both came inside the first five minutes of the second half and settled down a Spireites side who looked out of sorts before the interval.

It was a scrappy, dour first half, neither side doing much with their possession.

But those two goals made life so much more comfortable for John Sheridan’s Spireites, whose opponents wilted completely.

The game took a while to come to life, 13 minutes passing before the first shot of the afternoon - Liam Gordon’s low effort from the left that Shwan Jalal dealt with comfortably.

Chesterfield frustrated their manager with their inability to string passes together in the early stages, but when they finally got the ball down they created a shooting chance for Jonathan Smith, who blasted over from distance.

Teenager Ellis Chapman had a rocky start to the game but midway through the half linked up with Joe Rowley and chipped the ball to the back post, his cross a little ahead of Tom Denton, who strained but couldn’t connect.

Neither side were playing vintage stuff but at least when the Daggers got on the ball they made Jalal work, Doug Loft getting into a good position 16 yards out but failing to test the home stopper.

There were some nice moments for Sheridan’s men in the latter stages of the half, Chapman’s early cross picking out Denton at the back post, his header down hitting Boden and bouncing out of play.

Whatever was said at the break, Town came out with more intent and took the lead with their first shot on target.

The ball was worked into the middle from wide left, Rowley playing it to Jonathan Smith who set his sights and fizzed a piledriver of a shot into the bottom corner past Elliott Justham.

And two minutes later they doubled their lead, Rowley again involved, finding Boden on the run, the striker finding the same corner of the net from the edge of the box to make it seven goals in six games.

Dagenham looked punch drunk and could have been 3-0 down before 50 minutes were played, Rowley bursting through the middle and feeding Boden whose pass, intended for Maguire, was almost knocked into the net by a defender.

The visitors could only muster another shot straight at Jalal, this time from Matt Robinson, and an Angelo Balanta effort that was well blocked.

Balanta then went into the book for petulantly raising his hand to the face of Will Evans.

Chesterfield, playing with freedom, caused the visitors more problems, Smith coming close to his second with a cross-cum-shot, substitute Lee Shaw denied by a Kenny Clark last ditch tackle after being put through by Denton.

The Daggers’ afternoon was summed up by a free-kick, awarded 30 yards out in a central position, that they managed to waste in hapless fashion, further incensing an away support who booed the first of Peter Taylor’s triple substitutions.

There was a late chance for the home side, Denton playing another clever through ball for Shaw, who went one on one with Justham but couldn’t beat the keeper with his shot.

Chesterfield: Jalal 7, Smith 7, Chapman 7 (Reid 85), Yarney 7, Evans 8, Hollis 7, Maguire 7, Weston 7, Rowley 8 (Carter 76), Boden 7 (Shaw 66), Denton 7. Subs: Weir, Fortune.

Dagenham: Justham 6, Nunn 6 (Harfield 66) Gordon 6, Goodliffe 6, Clark 6, Onariase 6, Robinson 5, Loft 5 (Adelove 66), Wright 5, Balanta 4 (Munns 66), Kandi 4. Subs: Moore, Davey.

Goalscorers: Smith 47, Boden 50.

Yellows: Evans 86; Balanta 60.

Referee: Peter Gibbons. Assistants: Steve Durnall, Lewis Raper.

Attendance: 4,377 (122 away).