Roy McFarland made three changes to the side beaten on Saturday. Steve Blatherwick was rested to the bench, and replaced by Aaron Downes. Jordan Fowler came in to centre-left midfield for Mark Innes, while Mark DeBolla's goal on Saturday won him a start, in place of Tcham N'Toya.
The Spireites line-up:
MUGGLETON
BAILEY EVATT DOWNES NICHOLSON
ALLOTT NIVEN FOWLER HUDSON
DeBOLLA FOLAN
Subs: Richmond (gk), N'Toya, Innes, Davies, Blatherwick.
Snow began to fall with increased intensity as Mark DeBolla got the game under way. Nicholson took a free kick in his own half in the first minute and Fowler worked an opportunity for a shot that was parried. It fell to Folan, six feet out, by his effort was off target to gift Stockport a huge let-off. DeBolla needed treatment for a head injury after three minutes.
Nicholson took the game's first corner on 5 - it cleared everyone in the box and was swept away by County. All the early pressure was from Chesterfield, and Fowler did well to stay on his feet after a swiped challenge on him in the box on 8. A more experienced Premiership player would have gone down like a sack of spuds!
Saturday's goal gave DeBolla confidence and he caused problems for County from the start. Stockport's first noticeable time in Chesterfield's half came after ten minutes and was summarily ended by Niven's long clearance. County put together a good period of play for a few minutes but the Chesterfield rearguard was not stretched.
A well-worked free kick saw Singh nod the ball back at the far stick but Briggs' shot whistled past the post. Evatt's challenge robbed Singh on 17 as he threatened to break. Nicholson's second corner produced a free kick to County in their box. Allott chased a ball to the bye line and pulled it back for Folan, whose pass to Fowler was intercepted. The snow was by now heavy enough to settle.
Robertson was given a talking-to after launching a crunching challenge on Allott on 26. Muggleton punched away County's first corner on 30 minutes but play was halted following a foul. A fine cross on 35 looked for DeBolla's run to the near post buy Raynes got in to clear at the expense of a corner, which was cleared. A 39th minute tackle from Evatt on Singh was penalised after the Leeds man intercepted and looked to break clear; Evatt was booked for the challenge. Raynes was again forced to give away a corner to halt DeBolla's progress; Nicholson's good delivery wasn't attacked, though, and County were able to clear with ease.
In first-half injury time Downes' header back was intercepted by Feeney, who tucked it into the corner of the net to give County the lead.
Halftime: 1-0 to them.
DeBolla just about got on the end of a cross in the 46th minute but the keeper was able to deny him. The Spireites started in determined fashion and won two corners in the first two minutes but nothing came of these. The pressure paid off after 50 minutes, though, with an equaliser. DeBOLLA found Folan who worked a flick through for Mark to chase on; this he did, and converted with aplomb from around the edge of the box, whipping a shot back over the goalie. Two games, two goals for Mark - he must have been a London bus driver in a previous life!
Hudson did well to lose his marker on 54 but looked for goal when Allott was available on the penalty spot. Straight up the other end Muggleton came out to clear but needed help from Evatt to deny County the lead. County won a corner on 57 and Dolan came close to restoring Stockport's lead, but it just cleared the bar. Feeney missed out on 60 when he appeared to delay just too long to avoid an offside, and Muggleton snaffled the ball. County kept the pressure on, but Chesterfield kept the citadel intact with a mixture of poise, determination and good luck.
Singh got onto Feeney's pass on 65 and was free, but a dodgy offside flag pulled him up. Blatherwick entered the fray on 67, replacing Downes, who appeared to have an eye injury. County continued to press and Muggleton got a touch to a 70th-minute Singh effort that appeared goalbound. Singh was having a huge influence on the game as County piled it on. Hurst and Singh combined on 73 but Singh's shot deflected off Armstrong for a goal kick.
Stockport's football - aided by the loan men - belied their league position as Chesterfield clung on. Goodwin and Hudson squared up to eachother as tempers rose. McFarland made another change, introducing N'Toya for DeBolla in the 78th minute. Hardiker's 79th-minute challenge on Hudson had the look of "afters" and the county man was booked for it.
Out of nothing, and completely against the run of play, ALLOTT unleashed a screaming left-foot shot from 30 yards into the net on 80 minutes to give Chesterfield the lead. Folan had a golden chance to make it 3-1 a couple of minutes later with a one-on-one but he shot at the keeper. County made a substitution bringing Le Fondre on in the 84th minute, for Armstrong. N'Toya went for a 50-50 ball but was judged to have fouled, and was booked for it.
Hurst's first-time shot on 87 went close; Le Fondre laid one back for Goodwin to blast, but it went over. County brought Matt Bailey on for Robertson as injury time beckoned. Three minutes' stoppage time was advised: County, of course, only needed one of those to take a first half lead! Blatherwick was strong to make a pair of important interceptions as stoppage time.
Full time: 2-1 to us!!
An even first half saw County go in with the edge. You could argue that Chesterfield didn't deserve that on balance, but that harshness evened itself out in a second half that was dominated by Stockport. County had fourteen attempts on goal in the second half but didn't put any of them away; Chesterfield made the most of their limited second-half opportunities thanks to a brilliant finish from DeBolla and a wonder goal from Allott. The defence was put under the cosh but held firm, thanks in a large part to the timely introduction of Blatherwick. Niven was looking like the midfield terrier we are familiar with and found great support from Hudson, Allott and Fowler. Folan snatched at the two clear chances he had but laid on a fine flick for DeBolla's goal, and N'Toya added good nuisance value at the end. So Chesterfield recorded only their fifth League win at County in 41 attempts, but it sets us up nicely for the Peterborough game and takes us to within four points of the magic "50."
SB
