Report by North Derbyshire Radio’s Ben Smith.
Chesterfield will go to Notts County on Friday night in need of victory after going down 1-0 in Sunday’s first leg of the League Two play-off semi-final between the pair.
Jayden Luker notched the only goal of the game on 28 minutes, but not before Lee Bonis had failed to convert from the penalty spot at the other end.
The Spireites secured their place in these play-offs by beating Swindon Town 2-1 on the final day, with that win on the road also enough to see them jump above Grimsby Town for an eventual finish of 6th.
Fifth-placed Notts would therefore be their opponents; a familiar foe having eliminated the Blues from the National League play-offs in both 2021 and 2023, the latter via a shoot-out in the final.
That Wembley contest saw Paul Cook’s side open the scoring via an early penalty and it briefly looked like that particular bit of history was about to repeat itself when Liam Mandeville was fouled in the area with less than five minutes on the clock.
This time the opportunity from 12 yards was passed up, however, with Bonis’ effort bounding back out off of the post.
Instead, it would be County who struck as Luker forced the ball home from close range despite the best efforts of opposing ‘keeper Ryan Boot.
Armando Dobra, frequently a key figure in contests between these two, was then forced off injured before the break, capping what turned into a tricky first 45 for Cook and Co.
The hosts did threaten a response for a period after the interval, with Janoi Donacien seeing an effort blocked and later attempting to turn provider for Sammy Braybrooke, only for the midfielder to plant high into the stand from the edge of the area.
But those efforts would ultimately peter out, leaving Chesterfield with a deficit to overturn if they want to book their spot in the final on May 25.
