Report by North Derbyshire Radio’s Football Correspondent Ben Smith
Chesterfield continued their 100% start to the League Two campaign on Saturday, defeating 10-man Bristol Rovers 3-1 at the SMH Group Stadium.
Late strikes from Kyle McFadzean and Armando Dobra eventually sealed all three points for the hosts, but not before they were given a bit of scare when Isaac Hutchinson levelled to cancel out Tom Naylor’s opener.
The Spireites came into this one having won both of their league games so far without conceding, but having also been beaten 2-0 by bitter rivals Mansfield Town in their most recent EFL Cup outing.
It was also a round one exit for the weekend’s visitors who, following that result, had started life back in the fourth tier after relegation last term with three straight defeats in all competitions.
Both sides had reason to be particularly keen for a positive result here, then, but that didn’t necessarily translate to a flowing start, with a chance apiece for McFadzean and Promise Omochere about all to report from the opening half or so.
Things burst into life quite abruptly on 39 minutes though when Joel Senior brought Dobra down on the edge of the box; a move the referee deemed had denied the latter a clear goal-scoring opportunity.
That saw the Gas subsequently reduced to 10 men and that blow would be compounded shortly after as the resulting free-kick was recycled by taker Dylan Duffy, with his second cross perfectly placed to allow Naylor to steer a header home.
Paul Cook would’ve hoped that man and goal advantage would be the catalyst for his team to truly take control of the game, but that goal suffered a significant setback as they were pegged back on 68 minutes.
Again it was a set-piece second phase that was the source of the goal, as substitute Hutchinson eventually stabbed the ball in from close range.
Sensing a prime opportunity to register maximum points was slipping, Cook would then make a very attacking set of substitutions with Liam Mandeville, Adam Lewis, John Fleck and Will Grigg all entering the game.
And those would go on to look inspired moves as the second of that quartet delivered the corner to which McFadzean applied a towering header before Mandeville squared for Dobra to add further daylight.
And 3-1 it would remain as the final whistle sounded, meaning Chesterfield will have the chance to make it four league wins from four when they make the long trip down to Gillingham on Tuesday.
