Will Grigg scores hat-trick as Chesterfield put five past Gateshead to go nine points clear at top - report

The Spireites scored four times in the first-half, with Grigg grabbing a double, as well as strikes from Tom Naylor and Michael Jacobs.

Grigg completed his treble from the penalty spot 10 minutes into the second-half and the scoreline could have been bigger in the end.

Town now have a commanding lead at the top of the table and they still have two games in hand.

This was Paul Cook’s 250th game as Chesterfield manager across two spells and it was one to remember as the Blues ripped through the visitors.

This was also their 15th home victory on the bounce in all competitions. The club record is 17 which was set in the 1929/1930 season.

The only disappointment was losing Ryan Colcough to injury, who hobbled off in the first-half after a rough challenge by Kenton Richardson.

The Spireites made six changes from the FA Cup defeat to Watford. In came Harry Tyrer, King, Tyrone Williams, Jacobs, Colclough and Grigg. Miguel Freckleton missed out due to injury which meant that Ash Palmer shifted across to left centre-back. Williams was making his first start in more than two months.

Gateshead had lost five key players due to loan recalls, sales and injury leading up to this game but they restocked their squad with three new additions in 24 hours, with two of them starting. The visitors didn’t arrive at the stadium until 7pm and didn’t emerge to start their warm-up until 30 minutes before kick-off.

And Chesterfield caught them cold on a freezing night at the SMH Group Stadium, scoring four times in the first-half.

The first goal came on 12 minutes when Grigg finished from inside the area after Liam Mandeville’s free-kick delivery from the right was not dealt with by the away side.

Grigg continued to look sharp and he forced debutant goalkeeper Edward Beach, who is on loan from Chelsea, to parry at his near post.

The big disappointment of the night was when Colclough was forced off injured before the half-hour mark after he was on the end of a nasty tackle by Richardson, who was booked.

Naylor soon doubled Town’s lead after Jeff King’s cutting pass opened up Gateshead and the midfielder found the net from a tight angle via the post.

Six minutes were added at the end of the half following that injury to Colclough, and it was enough for the Blues to score two more goals.

The third was absolutely sublime, with some lovely intricate play between substitute James Berry and Jacobs, who delightfully assisted Grigg for his second of the evening.

And there was still time for a fourth as Jacobs pounced on a mistake by Beach to round off a clinical half from the hosts.

The brilliant Jacobs almost notched a fifth but his curling strike came back off the crossbar in the opening minutes of the second-half.

But Chesterfield did make it 5-0 when Berry, who made a big impact after his introduction, was brought down in the area and Grigg made no mistake to secure his hat-trick.

With Town well on top, there were even some sarcastic ‘oles’ from the home fans when Gateshead strung a few passes together.

Such are the high standards, boss Cook went mad on the touchline when a Gateshead attack ended with former Spireite, Marcus Dinanga, who has 14 goals this season but none since September, headed wide from close-range.

Mandeville teed up Jacobs for a sixth but the midfielder’s finish was surprisingly off the mark with just under 15 minutes remaining.

It had been a difficult debut for Gateshead keeper Beach, and he got himself into a pickle late on, Jacobs and Ollie Banks tried to make him pay, but a sixth goal escaped them.

Chesterfield continue to put on a show. And this one gets a five-star review.

Chesterfield: Tyrer; King, Palmer, Williams, Horton; Oldaker, Naylor; Mandeville (Banks, 75), Jacobs, Colclough (Berry, 30); Grigg (Quigley, 75).

Unused subs: Sheckleford, Dobra.