Four big talking points as Chesterfield beat Weymouth to jump into National League play-off places

The midfielder hooked the ball home from inside the area on 37 minutes, his fourth goal for the Spireites.

Seventh heaven

This was the Blues’ third win and clean sheet on the bounce and it was enough to edge them up to seventh spot and into the play-offs for the first time this season. The gap to fourth-placed Stockport County is just three points and the Spireites have a game in hand on the Hatters, while they are only six behind Torquay United in third having played one fewer. Town fully deserve their place in the top seven after showing incredible consistency over the last four months and if they continue this form then we can’t rule out finishing as high as second or third. It is an exciting time so let’s just enjoy the ride.

Remarkable run

What a job James Rowe is doing. The 37-year-old has been in charge of 19 league games, winning 12, drawing three and losing four. Town have collected 39 points, averaging just over two points a game. That is title-winning form. Rowe is relentless and you can bet he will be plotting the number of points he wants from the next run of games, and he will demand they get them. What a remarkable turnaround since November. Hats off to him.

‘One-nil to Chesterfield’

It has a nice ring to it, doesn't it? Out of Rowe’s 12 wins, seven of them have been by one goal to nil. In the 19 league games he has been in charge, Chesterfield have kept 12 clean sheets. Incredibly, Fraser Kerr is yet to experience conceding a goal in a Blues shirt. He has started six times, winning five and letting in one, but he had already gone off injured by the time Sutton United found the net. The funny thing is, the Spireites are not a defensive team, far from it. A few more one-nillers between now and the end of the season will do just nicely.

A job well done

This was not the most stylish or entertaining of Chesterfield performances but they got the three points and a clean sheet. They started brightly in the opening 25 minutes, Akwasi Asante hitting the post. They lost some momentum when Laurence Maguire was forced off with a hamstring niggle, replaced by Josef Yarney for his first appearance since January. Overall they deserved to take the lead when Whelan finished expertly in the box. Town looked a bit leggy after the break and did not create a great deal, but they never really looked in danger of conceding apart from when Pierre Fonkeu headed against the underside of the crossbar. The Terras claimed it crossed the line but it was hard to tell in real time. If it did then the hosts may have got away with one but they have had some decisions go against them in recent weeks so they deserve a bit of luck.

Chesterfield (3-5-2): G.Smith; Kerr, Hollis, Maguire (Yarney, 25); Carline, Weston, M.Smith, Whelan Whittle; Tyson (Dinanga, 60), Asante. Unused subs: Rowley, Yussuf.

Goals: Whelan (37)