Ten-man Chesterfield produce stunning comeback to beat Southend United to stay top of National League

In a breathtaking game which swung back and forth, the Spireites took the lead after 19 minutes when Jack Clarke scored his first goal since last December, swivelling in the box and finishing from Liam Mandeville’s cutback.

The visitors cancelled it out, though, after the half-hour mark when Callum Powell fired into the bottom corner.

Ollie Banks was shown a straight red card before half-time for a tackle on Gus Scott-Morriss to give Town an uphill task in the second-half.

And the challenge got bigger when Marcus Dackers swept home inside the first minute after the break.

But the Blues showed incredible fighting spirit and turned the game around with two brilliant goals in six minutes after the hour from Joe Quigley and then King to send the home fans home bouncing.

With performances like this, you wonder what the season outcome will be come May. Dare we start dreaming?

A minute’s silence was held before kick-off and both sets of players wore black armbands as a mark of respect following the passing of the Queen.

Paul Cook named an unchanged starting line-up from the win against Oldham Athletic last time out, with just one change on the bench as George Cooper replaced Mike Jones. Armando Dobra, Akwasi Asante and Kabongo Tshimanga remained absent.

Southend, who went into this one in mid-table after recording just two wins from their first seven games, handed a debut to 6ft 7in striker Dackers, on loan from Salford City.

The visitors had a brilliant chance to take the lead inside the first eight minutes when Dan Mooney pounced on a heavy touch by Jamie Grimes but he struck wide when one-on-one.

An even game burst into life just before the 20-minute mark as Chesterfield hit the crossbar following a corner and then Quigley had a goal ruled out for offside from another attack.

But they did not have to wait long to make the breakthrough, as moments later Clarke swivelled and finished from inside the area after a smart pullback from Mandeville on 19 minutes.

However, a goal out of nothing got the Shrimpers level after half an hour. The Spireites failed to deal with a long ball forward and the lively Powell made them pay, firing beyond Lucas Covolan into the corner.

Town lost their composure after that and were guilty of giving away cheap possession on too many occasions.

The Blues managed to create a chance before the break as Mandeville and Clarke exchanged passes before the former’s shot was deflected for a corner.

But there was more drama before half-time, as Banks was shown a straight red card by referee David Richardson for a tackle on Scott-Morriss. Richardson initially played advantage, and Mooney clipped the bar, but then he went back and sent off Banks for the challenge near the edge of his own area, which had the Southend management team up in arms.

It was a nightmare end to the first-half, and the second 45 started just as badly as the Shrimpers took the lead inside the first minute, Dackers sweeping home inside the area after a mistake by Branden Horton.

The visitors’ ‘dark arts’ tactics came into play almost immediately after the second goal, and Cook was booked for showing his frustration.

Southend had a chance to grab a third as Powell fired over the bar after a good cutback from Mooney – and they paid the price as Chesterfield scored two different, but brilliant goals to turn this game around despite being a man down.

First, Quigley collected a loose ball and ran towards goal before finding the bottom corner via the post for his second in as many games.

The Spireites then wanted a red card for Southend’s Tom Clifford, who caught King with a nasty tackle, but it was deemed only worthy of a yellow in another moment of controversy.

King left the field after receiving treatement, came back on, dusted himself down, and unleashed an unstoppable swerving rocket into the top corner, clipping the underside of the crossbar on the way in which lifted the roof off the Technique.

It was Town who now had the momentum, and looked by far the brighter side, you would never have known they were a man down.

They were perhaps a little fortunate, though, not to concede a penalty when Horton looked to have clipped the heels of Powell in the box.

You could feel the nerves in the air as the clock ticked towards 90, and even more so when Powell rounded Covolan, only for the home stopper to get back to his feet and make a great block.

Soon after, Covolan made another save, this time to deny a header from Louis Lomas.

There were six minutes of added time, but they got over the line, and what a noise it was at full-time.

Another incredible night under the lights.

What a game.