REPORT: Chesterfield 2-0 Salford City - Spireites stun City to end winless run

Chesterfield produced their performance of the season when they needed it most and finally snapped their National League winless streak.
Alex Kiwomya (right) celebrates the opening goal.Alex Kiwomya (right) celebrates the opening goal.
Alex Kiwomya (right) celebrates the opening goal.

The 2-0 victory over second-placed Salford City was the Spireites' first in the league, or at home, since 11th August.

And the much needed three points not only lifted Town out of the bottom four, but relieved some of the pressure on under-fire boss Martin Allen.

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The promotion hunting visitors were chased and harried all afternoon, forced into errors and disrupted by Chesterfield's relentless pressing.

Allen had asked for his men to be ruthless when they got chances, and they were, Alex Kiwomya getting on the end of two good moves to score his first Chesterfield goals.

The Spireites got off to a dream start, finding the net just 90 seconds in.

Levi Amantchi, on his full debut, closed down a defender, won the ball and did brilliantly to beat a man before passing it across the area for Alex Kiwomya to stroke home his first Town goal.

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Salford struggled to get their passing game going in the first quarter of an hour, Chesterfield's pressing causing problems.

But they grew into it and started to exert pressure on the home defence, winning a corner that Nathan Pond headed well wide.

There was a pair of let offs for the hosts before the half hour mark.

Brad Barry appeared to completely lose Rory Gaffney at the back post and although the striker got it under control, he anticipated a challenge from keeper Callum Burton that never came and the ball rolled harmlessly out for a goal kick.

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Then a cross wasn't dealt with in the area, allowing Daniel Whitehead to spin and shoot, his tame effort gathered by a grateful Burton.

Chesterfield managed to withstand a period of pressure and began to wrestle control back off Salford, Curtis Weston and Amantchi both seeing low shots saved by Neal.

Amantchi had Salford in panic mode when he picked off a pass in the middle of the park, pushed it past Nathan Pond and left the defender for dead, but the angle was always against him and Neal dealt with the final effort comfortably.

Sloppy passing almost cost Salford again, Shaw picking one off and starting an attack that ended with Jonathan Smith's fierce drive being well held.

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The Spireites began the second half with a pair of yellow cards, Barry and Smith the men cautioned for stopping a break and making a late challenge respectively.

Salford served a reminder of their threat on 53 minutes, breaking at pace down the right and cutting the ball back to the edge of the box where Walker arrived to blaze high over the top.

Martin Allen withdrew targetman Tom Denton and put on the pacier Jordan Hallam and within five minutes the move paid dividends.

Chesterfield won possession deep in their own half through Shaw, he fed Hallam and the substitute ran all the way to the edge of the Salford box, uncorking a shot that Neal palmed onto the post. But for once, luck went Chesterfield's way and the ball rebounded straight to Kiwomya, who volleyed in his second.

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Salford pressed and pressed as the game neared its final stages but they were met by a blue wall.

When sub Dennis Poltic did manage to get a shot through, from 25 yards, Burton was there to make a wonderful flying save.

Seconds later, a corner was met by Carl Piergianni and Jerome Binnom-Williams appeared from no where to clear off his own line.

The Salford centre-half then arrived five yards out to glance a free-kick but managed to hit Burton instead of the net.

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Six minutes of injury time failed to help the visitors, who could have gone 3-0 down had Neal not kept out Hallam's low drive.

The final whistle was greeted with rapturous applause from the home fans, as Allen embraced his assistant Adrian Whitbread and finally celebrated a Proact win.

Chesterfield: Burton, Barry, Binnom-Williams, Hollis, Evans, Kiwomya, Shaw, Smith, Weston, Denton (Hallam 55), Amantchi (Weir 81). Not used: Anyon, Nelson, Muggleton.

Salford: Neal, Wiseman, Touray (Hogan 68), Piergianni, Pond, Walker, Lloyd-McGoldrick, Nolan (Dieseruvwe 68), Whitehead, Rooney, Gaffney (Poltic 46). Not used: Crocombe, Brockbank.

Goalscorers: Kiwomya 2, 60

Yellows: Barry 48, Smith 50, Weston 90

Referee: Leigh Doughty. Assistants: Blake Antrobus, Paul Stonier.

Attendance: 5,055 (268 away)