MATCH REPORT: Another defeat leaves Spireites even further in the mire

Chesterfield's relegation worries increased at Carlisle United, as Jack Lester's side crashed to their 20th league defeat of the season with a 2-0 loss at Brunton Park.
Carlisle United's Clint Hill clear under pressure from Chesterfieldâ¬"s Kristian Dennis: Picture by Steve Flynn/AHPIX.com, Football: Skybet League One match Carlisle United -V- Chesterfield  at Brunton Park, Carlisle, Cumbria, England on copyright picture Howard Roe 07973 739229Carlisle United's Clint Hill clear under pressure from Chesterfieldâ¬"s Kristian Dennis: Picture by Steve Flynn/AHPIX.com, Football: Skybet League One match Carlisle United -V- Chesterfield  at Brunton Park, Carlisle, Cumbria, England on copyright picture Howard Roe 07973 739229
Carlisle United's Clint Hill clear under pressure from Chesterfieldâ¬"s Kristian Dennis: Picture by Steve Flynn/AHPIX.com, Football: Skybet League One match Carlisle United -V- Chesterfield at Brunton Park, Carlisle, Cumbria, England on copyright picture Howard Roe 07973 739229

Kelvin Etuhu opened the scoring and substitute John O’Sullivan sealed victory late on after Louis Reed had a goal disallowed for the Spireites.

Defeat means Chesterfield are now five points from safety in the League Two drop zone.

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After two stoppage-time defeats, either side of the postponed trip to fellow strugglers Morecambe, Chesterfield made three changes from the midweek loss to Cambridge.

Chesterfieldâ¬"s Joe Rowley competes for the ball with Carlisle Unitedâ¬"s Tom Parkes: Picture by Steve Flynn/AHPIX.com, Football: Skybet League One match Carlisle United -V- Chesterfield  at Brunton Park, Carlisle, Cumbria, England on copyright picture Howard Roe 07973 739229Chesterfieldâ¬"s Joe Rowley competes for the ball with Carlisle Unitedâ¬"s Tom Parkes: Picture by Steve Flynn/AHPIX.com, Football: Skybet League One match Carlisle United -V- Chesterfield  at Brunton Park, Carlisle, Cumbria, England on copyright picture Howard Roe 07973 739229
Chesterfieldâ¬"s Joe Rowley competes for the ball with Carlisle Unitedâ¬"s Tom Parkes: Picture by Steve Flynn/AHPIX.com, Football: Skybet League One match Carlisle United -V- Chesterfield at Brunton Park, Carlisle, Cumbria, England on copyright picture Howard Roe 07973 739229

Josh Kay, Jack McCourt and Sid Nelson started in place of Giles Coke, Louis Dodds and Laurence Maguire.

It was Carlisle who started on top, however, and Ashley Nadesan was just inches away from getting a decisive touch to Hallam Hope’s low cross at the back post on five minutes.

The Spireites went close themselves three minutes later, when Bradley Barry got forward from right-back and his cross was deflected onto the bar by Carlisle defender Clint Hill.

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Despite seeing more of the ball, however, Chesterfield were behind on 19 minutes when Etuhu was given time and space to curl into the bottom corner from 25 yards.

Chesterfieldâ¬"s Jak McCourt slides into a tackle: Picture by Steve Flynn/AHPIX.com, Football: Skybet League One match Carlisle United -V- Chesterfield  at Brunton Park, Carlisle, Cumbria, England on copyright picture Howard Roe 07973 739229Chesterfieldâ¬"s Jak McCourt slides into a tackle: Picture by Steve Flynn/AHPIX.com, Football: Skybet League One match Carlisle United -V- Chesterfield  at Brunton Park, Carlisle, Cumbria, England on copyright picture Howard Roe 07973 739229
Chesterfieldâ¬"s Jak McCourt slides into a tackle: Picture by Steve Flynn/AHPIX.com, Football: Skybet League One match Carlisle United -V- Chesterfield at Brunton Park, Carlisle, Cumbria, England on copyright picture Howard Roe 07973 739229

With the Spireites struggling to test Carlisle keeper Jack Bonham, their plight was then summed up on 38 minutes when Joe Rowley passed an attempted short corner straight out for a goal kick.

Things did not improve after the break, either – Alex Whitmore was easily outpaced by Cole Stockton, who prodded his shot wide, on 47 minutes.

Stockton then squandered a great chance to double the lead on 56 minutes, after Nadesan’s pull-back, as he shot wide of the open goal.

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Reed thought he had levelled on 71 minutes, when he volleyed in after a corner was only half-cleared, but – after a consultation with referee Sebastian Stockbridge – the linesman’s flag curtailed the visitors’ celebrations.

Chesterfieldâ¬"s Joe Rowley competes for the ball with Carlisle Unitedâ¬"s Tom Parkes: Picture by Steve Flynn/AHPIX.com, Football: Skybet League One match Carlisle United -V- Chesterfield  at Brunton Park, Carlisle, Cumbria, England on copyright picture Howard Roe 07973 739229Chesterfieldâ¬"s Joe Rowley competes for the ball with Carlisle Unitedâ¬"s Tom Parkes: Picture by Steve Flynn/AHPIX.com, Football: Skybet League One match Carlisle United -V- Chesterfield  at Brunton Park, Carlisle, Cumbria, England on copyright picture Howard Roe 07973 739229
Chesterfieldâ¬"s Joe Rowley competes for the ball with Carlisle Unitedâ¬"s Tom Parkes: Picture by Steve Flynn/AHPIX.com, Football: Skybet League One match Carlisle United -V- Chesterfield at Brunton Park, Carlisle, Cumbria, England on copyright picture Howard Roe 07973 739229

Substitute O’Sullivan then sealed victory on 81 minutes, prodding in from close-range with his first touch after Tom Parkes’ header was blocked.

STATS

Carlisle United 2

Etuhu 19, O’Sullivan 81

Chesterfieldâ¬"s Jak McCourt slides into a tackle: Picture by Steve Flynn/AHPIX.com, Football: Skybet League One match Carlisle United -V- Chesterfield  at Brunton Park, Carlisle, Cumbria, England on copyright picture Howard Roe 07973 739229Chesterfieldâ¬"s Jak McCourt slides into a tackle: Picture by Steve Flynn/AHPIX.com, Football: Skybet League One match Carlisle United -V- Chesterfield  at Brunton Park, Carlisle, Cumbria, England on copyright picture Howard Roe 07973 739229
Chesterfieldâ¬"s Jak McCourt slides into a tackle: Picture by Steve Flynn/AHPIX.com, Football: Skybet League One match Carlisle United -V- Chesterfield at Brunton Park, Carlisle, Cumbria, England on copyright picture Howard Roe 07973 739229

Chesterfield 0

Referee: Sebastian Stockbridge 6/10

Attendance: 4,025

Match rating 2/5

Star man: Mark Ellis, Carlisle centre-back

Carlisle United: (4-4-2): Bonham 6, Liddle 6, Ellis 8, Hill 7, Parkes 6, Lambe 6, Devitt 6, Etuhu 7 (Jones 22 6), Hope 8, Nadesan 6 (Twardek 75 6), Stockton 4 (O’Sullivan 80 7). Subs not used: Gray, Campbell-Ryce, Bennett, Brown

Chesterfield: (4-1-3-2): Ramsdale 6, Barry 6, Nelson 5, Whitmore 5, Weir 5, Reed 6, McCourt 4 (Binnom-Williams 67 6), Rowley 4 (Kellett 62 6), Kay 5, Dennis 6, O’Grady 5 (Brown 80 6). Subs not used: Parkin, Maguire, Ofoegbu.

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