Chesterfield finish pre-season with clinical performance against Scunthorpe United - report
Chesterfield finished pre-season with a clinical performance as they beat Scunthorpe United 3-0.
Goals from Michael Jacobs, Ryan Colclough and Liam Mandeville did the damage in the first-half at Glanford Park. Jacobs’ strike was a beauty, while Colclough also added an assist to his name in a ruthless first 45 against the National League North outfit.
The Blues have suffered three long-term injuries in their friendlies, but thankfully there were none here.
Paul Cook’s men now have one week to prepare for the visit of Swindon Town in what is the club's first game back in League Two since 2018.
Armando Dobra gave the hosts a warning sign when he curled just over in the opening minutes but they didn’t have to wait long to take the lead as Jacobs brilliantly found the top corner from the edge of the box with the outside of his foot which even drew applause from the home faithful.
Colclough doubled the lead against one of his old clubs with a first-time finish inside the area after being teed up by Will Grigg and the visitors added a third after just 22 minutes when Colclough hung up a cross to the back post and Mandeville side-footed in.
Chesterfield almost scored a fourth but Ross Barrows cleared off the line from Chey Dunkley and then moments later Barrows made a good block from Ollie Banks.
Town thought they had made it four when Grigg tapped in from close-range from Colclough’s low cross but it was ruled offside, much to the disbelief and annoyance of Grigg.
Scunthorpe had former Spireites Ross Fitzsimons, Will Evans, Joe Rowley, Brad Nicholson, Tyler Denton and Alfie Beestin in their side. They had been cut open by the Blues throughout the half but they had done okay down the other end, with Kian Scales forcing two saves from Ryan Boot, who also had to be alert to keep out Danny Whitehall’s long-range strike.
In the first 15 minutes of the second-half, chances were limited, with Barrows firing over for Scunthorpe and Darren Oldaker seeing his free-kick from the edge of the box cannon back off the wall.
Trialist goalkeeper Jamal Blackman got an opportunity to show what he could do in the last 25 minutes, as did James Berry, who has top-scored during pre-season.
New signing Vontae Daley-Campbell, who earned himself a deal after impressing on trial, got a runout for the last 10 minutes.
Chesterfield controlled the remainder of the game, with late chances for Joe Quigley and Jacobs, as they were very professional and saw it out nicely.
That win concluded pre-season and Chesterfield can now look forward to life back in League Two for the first time in six years.
Chesterfield: Boot (Blackman, 64); Mandeville (Daley-Campbell), Dunkley (Williams, 88), Naylor, Gordon (Horton, 85); Oldaker (Akinola, 78), Banks (Mohiuddin); Jacobs, Dobra (Drummond, 85), Colclough (Berry, 64); Grigg (Quigley, 85)