Markanday the match winner as Chesterfield take three points at Oldham Athletic

The attacker’s first goal of the season came two minutes after the hosts had cancelled out Lee Bonis’s first-half penalty and gave Paul Cook’s side their first win over the Latics at Boundary Park in the Football League for 26 years.

The 2-1 success was just the tonic needed after back-to-back draws and overall it was deserved.

The expected early onslaught from a big, physical Oldham side never materialised and they were on the back foot for much of the opening half-hour as Chesterfield bossed the ball.

Markanday should have punished them when he he miscued a volley central to goal but the breakthrough did arrive on 18 minutes.

Gus Scott-Morris handled in the box and although Bonis’ initial spot-kick was beaten out by goalkeeper Mathew Hudson, the striker was on hand to bury the rebound.

Josh Koroma very nearly doubled the advantage with a curling effort and it took the disjointed Latics nearly half-an-hour to threaten, Ryan Boot sticking out a leg to block Calum Kavanagh’s goal-bound shot.

Chesterfield were winning the physical battles and playing the better stuff, particularly down the right flank, and with discontent among the home crowd rising, they were full value for their half-time lead.

Oldham included ex-Spireites Mike Fondop and Kane Drummond in their line-up while the Spireites had made three changes to the team which drew with Barnet, bringing in Kyle McFadzean, Koroma and Bonis for Alfie Pond, Liam Mandeville and Fraser Bryden.

They were pegged back out of the blue five minutes into the second half from the hosts’ first serious attack.

Jamie Robson swung in a cross in and Favour Fawumni outjumped Lewis Gordon to head in.

Chesterfield took the blow on the chin and hit back two minutes later.

Koroma’s strong run to the byline took men with him and his clipped ball in fell to Markanday to thrash in from close range right under the noses of the travelling supporters.

The game became more end to end.

Markanday foiled Calum Kavanagh from point blank range and at the other end Simpson was close to converting Louie Marsh’s centre at the far post and Marsh side-footed when well placed.

The addition of six minutes of stoppage time didn’t help the nerves and Boot had to go down low to block a drive from Keenan Appiah-Forson before the final whistle sounded on a satisfying away day and a second away win of the season.

Chesterfield (4-2-3-1): Boot, Hutton (Eccleston 80), Simpson, McFadzean, Gordon; Stirk (Naylor 61), McEachran (Dyer 80); Markanday, Marsh (Mandeville 70), Koroma (Randall 80); Bonis

Subs not used: Bryden, Pond

Oldham: Hudson; Scott-Morris, Robson, Daniels, Delaney (Monthe 57), Appiah-Forson, Norburn, Drummond, Fawunmi (Chilvers 57), Fondop, Kavanagh,

Referee: Matt Corlett

Attendance: 8,083 (1,137 visitors)