Report by North Derbyshire Radio’s Football Correspondent Ben Smith
Chesterfield returned to winning ways in some style during Saturday’s League Two meeting with Newport County, running out 4-1 winners at the SMH Group Stadium.
The visitors briefly threatened to make things nervy when substitute Michael Spellman halved the deficit established by Will Grigg and Will Dickson in the first-half.
However, goals from Ronan Darcy and Dilan Markanday, both also introduced from the bench, would ultimately ensure all three points for the Spireites.
Paul Cook’s side returned to home soil having drawn 2-2 away at Bromley last time out, which followed another point gained during the visit of Milton Keynes Dons the weekend previous.
Those results formed part of a to that point winless September, with it being over a month since Cook and Co. recorded a 2-1 triumph over Harrogate Town on August 23.
But if the hosts hadn’t quite been hitting their stride in recent weeks they were more active in the early stages here, with Armando Dobra, Grigg and Dickson all presented with decent chances in the opening quarter of an hour.
It would be the second of that trio who eventually notched the game’s first goal on 34 minutes, latching on to a teasing cross from Liam Mandeville to apply an equally classy header.
That goal may have owed a lot to Mandeville’s assist, but the second was a case of true individual brilliance as Manchester City loanee Dickson embarked on an incredible solo run before slowing himself to slot coolly into the bottom corner.
2-0 would be a scoreline which held right through until the 80th minute, when Spellman’s deflected attempt reduced the Blues’ advantage and perhaps sparked a bit of unease within their support.
If that was the case though that wouldn’t last long, as Darcy delicately dinked the ball over on-rushing
‘keeper Nik Tzanev to restore a two-goal cushion just four minutes later.
And after the same interval that lead would grow further still, with Markanday displaying some neat footwork before unleashing an effort which just about crept under Tzanev and in.
4-1 was the final score then, and Chesterfield will look to build on that very positive result as they travel to Colchester United next weekend.
