Chesterfield slump to third successive defeat as Crewe Alexandra punish mistakes - report

The Spireites trailed by two goals at half-time after Shilow Tracey and Max Conway punished individual mistakes from Jamie Grimes and Jenson Metcalfe. Town were fragile at the back and toothless in attack and Crewe wasted some big chances to go further in front in the second-half.

And the visitors almost paid the price when Dylan Duffy came off the bench to pull one back on 87 minutes but Crewe eased the pressure when Tom Lowery tucked in a third with the home fans calling for offside. Whether it was controversial or not, the away side deserved the three points.

The Blues have now only won one of their last four and two of their last 11 as their play-off hopes continue to fade as they drift further down the bottom half of the table.

There were three changes to the Chesterfield starting line-up from the 1-0 defeat at Swindon Town as Ash Palmer made his first appearance of the season after a long-term knee injury, while Darren Oldaker and Paddy Madden also returned. Tyrone Williams is unlikely to be unavailable for a lengthy period of time after having surgery. Liam Mandeville and Duffy also dropped out.

Crewe would have been out for revenge after losing 5-0 to the Spireites at Gresty Road back in August and they threatened early on but Tracey swept over from close-range.

The visitors had another chance when Lewis Billington cut out a pass from Oldaker and forced a good low save from Ryan Boot who tipped round the post. But they did not have to wait long to go in front as Tracey arrowed into the corner after Grimes hesitated in clearing his lines from a corner.

Chesterfield had a couple of half chances as they tried to respond with Madden firing over from a well-worked short corner and then Bim Pepple also struck over the woodwork.

But Crewe doubled their lead midway through the half when Metcalfe’s heavy touch caused him to lose possession and Conway advanced forward before keeping his cool to finish.

The action ended with the lively Tracey hitting the side-netting, with Chesterfield facing an uphill task in the second-half. They had looked vulnerable defensively and Crewe looked like they could score every time they came forward. The Spireites, meanwhile, had been flat in attack, moving the ball too slowly, allowing the Railwaymen to get men behind the ball.

Armando Dobra had two shots blocked and then Metcalfe’s header at the back post from Jack Sparkes’ cross was saved by the foot of goalkeeper Filip Marschall as Chesterfield started the second-half brightly.

The Spireites almost gifted Crewe a third goal when Oldaker gave the ball away and it ended with Lowery dragging a shot wide from 20 yards. Town’s injury woes continued once again as Janoi Donacien was forced off after the hour and he was replaced by Mandeville.

Billington should have added a third soon after but Boot made a superb reaction save with his feet to just about keep Chesterfield in the game. And the home side had another big let off when Grimes got the ball stuck under his feet and he was robbed by Tracey. Billington then raced clear but dragged his shot wide of the far post.

Crewe looked more likely to score a third than Chesterfield were to pull one back as Boot was forced to palm away at his near post from Tracey, who was a handful all afternoon.

But substitute Duffy struck sweetly into the bottom corner on 87 minutes to give the hosts some hope and the noise levels were raised when nine minutes were added on. But it was too little too late and Crewe perhaps controversially added a third when Lowery slotted in with the hosts calling for offside.

It meant that Chesterfield slumped to their third defeat on the bounce and they nearly conceded a fourth but Omar Bogle squandered a one-on-one.

Chesterfield: Boot; Donacien (Mandeville, 62), Palmer, Grimes, Sparkes; Metcalfe, Oldaker (Jacobs, 76); Olakigbe (Duffy, 69), Madden (Banks, 69), Dobra; Pepple.

Unused subs: Thompson, Naylor.