Chesterfield show firepower with second big pre-season win

After thumping nine goals past Matlock Town on Tuesday night, the Spireites carried on where they left off by bagging three more in the first-half at the Impact Arena on Saturday.

Laurence Maguire headed in a corner midway through the first 45 and Armando Dobra blasted in a second two minutes later.

Summer signing Will Grigg, who scored twice in midweek, added a third before half-time when he was pulled down in the area and he slotted in the resulting penalty.

Joe Quigley slid in a fourth just after half-time before the hosts pulled one back through Jake Day, the first goal the Blues had conceded in pre-season.

Quigley then grabbed his second of the afternoon, drilling in low just after the hour-mark.

The Reds, who finished in the National League North play-offs last season, had some chances in the first-half but could not stick them away.

This victory maintains Chesterfield’s 100 per cent start to pre-season, pummelling in 14 goals, with Sheffield Wednesday up next on Tuesday night.

In the opening stages Chesterfield won two corners in quick succession but it was the hosts who had the best chance but Liam Salmon’s header was saved by Harry Tyrer.

Ryan Colcough was then on the end of a clumsy and late challenge by George Cantrill, which angered manager Paul Cook, and the Reds man went into the book.

Blues trialist Harley Curtis, who scored against the Gladiators last time out, was a livewire and he curled wide from 18 yards after collecting a loose ball.

The Spireites came close again but Colclough’s shot glanced off the post after the winger cut in off the left flank and drove into the box.

Ryan Taylor then had a glorious chance for the home side but he failed to take advantage after a mix-up at the back.

Down the other end, Ollie Banks had a shot tipped wide and Ash Palmer had a header blocked on the line.

The floodgates then opened as Maguire headed in Banks’ corner at the back post.

Two minutes later, Dobra blasted high into the net from about 20 yards, his third goal in two games.

Grigg then added a third after he was brought down in the area before he picked himself up to score from 12 yards.

The striker almost had another but he was denied by keeper George Willis from close-range.

Cook made 11 changes at half-time, with trialist goalkeeper Kai Calderbank-Park, who was at Wrexham last season, being one of those.

Another one of those changes, Quigley, slid in a fourth goal six minutes into the second-half, after a low cross from Jeff King.

But Alfreton pulled a goal back two minutes later when substitute Day burst through the middle and slotted in.

The goals kept on coming and it was Quigley again, drilling in low after good work by Bailey Hobson, facing his former club, on 64 minutes to notch Chesterfield’s fifth.

The Spireites went in search of more goals, and Jesurun Uchegbulam and Hobson had chances, but they had to settle for five.

Chesterfield first-half XI: Tyrer; Sheckleford, Palmer, Maguire, Clements; Naylor, Banks; Curtis, Dobra, Colclough; Grigg

Second-half XI: Calderbank-Park (Chadwick, 85); King, Williams, Grimes, Horton; Jones (Hooper, 85), Oldaker; Mandeville (White, 85), Hobson, Uchegbulam; Quigley.