Report by The Green Un's Phil Tooley
Niven burst through straight from the kick off but Stanley regained possession and went on to win a left sided corner. A short kick led to Craney shooting in and Robertson then Roche had to be alert to clear the danger. Leven took a knock in the proceedings but was OK to carry on after treatment.
Miles was dispossessed by Niven but Fletcher was offside from the break out then a long kick from Roche towards Ward drew Dunbavin out from goal. He miscued his clearance and appeared to baulk Ward as he tried to get hold of the ball, no foul though.
Roche then erred as he came out to clear and Gray had to be on hand to head away when Mullin knocked the ball back into the danger zone. Lowry forced a corner that Ward took but Stanley cleared at the second attempt.
Picken's throw picked out Ward and he delivered a decent cross but Dunbavin rose high to catch with Fletcher poised just behind him should he have fumbled. A Leven free kick then found Ward but his shot on the turn was blocked and the ball ricocheted out for a goal kick off the chest of the striker.
D'Sane forced a corner after a rapid home breakout but Robertson, Niven then Downes cleared out, Bastians received and delivered a superb cross field ball to WARD who spotted Dunbavin off his line and delivered a stunning chip from 25 yards to put Spireites ahead in the 18th minute.
Stanley were working extremely hard and making it tough for Chesterfield, who saw Ward receive treatment for a knock, but after some work from Jamie Hewitt, he returned to the fray.
Niven volleyed a Craney free kick away as the hosts continued to battle but the same two players soon came together at closer quarters when the Chesterfield man fouled his opponent on the edge of the box. Dennehey hit the free kick left footed and the ball flew well over the line.
Gray fouled D'Sane by the touchline, Miles delivered and Fletcher headed down for Niven to clear as Spireites defended very deep.
Craney tripped Bastians just inside the home half, the German picked out Downes from the free kick but the Australian's downward header just failed to pick out Ward or Fletcher.
Ward tried a left footed chip after a Robertson pass but the ball went a foot or two wide of the upright on a rare Spireites excursion into the home box.
A Ward cross teased out a corner, he took it himself, but Dunbavin was able to catch the ball with consummate ease. Bastians and Leven then won another flag kick as Chesterfield pushed forwards. Ward found Fletcher but his angled header was cleared by the hosts.
Dennehey whipped in a shot from the left side of the box but it flew wide before a handball at the other end saw Spireites awarded a free kick 20 yards out, left of centre. Ward's kick hit the wall but Stanley struggled to clear and Leven won a corner as he threaded a ball through but nothing came of the set play.
Ward, from a similar position from where he scored from, latched on to a long ball but this time Dunbavin was well positioned to save as the visitors enjoyed their longest spell of pressure to date.
Picken's cross was headed away by Williams before Ward won another corner but his delivery was disappointing, his second ball in caught Bastians offside.
Leven's teasing ball towards Ward was hacked out for a throw that led to Picken delivering into the six yard box again but Roberts managed to get in ahead of Ward as Spireites ended the half strongly though the final chance fell to Craney but he hit the ball well wide from long range.
HALF TIME
Stanley 0 Spireites 1
Downes had to block from Craney and then make a tackle on Miles as Stanley came quickly out of the trap at the start of the second half. He then handled though under pressure from D'Sane, Craney delivered from the left touchline and Mullin headed well wide from a decent position.
Robertson lost out to Harris when in control and Niven fouled as he tried to regain possession giving Stanley a 30 yard central free kick. The wall did its job, blocking Craney's kick.
Leven's long throw was flicked goalwards by Fletcher but Dunbavin gathered before Niven was booked for a foul on Craney.
Dennehey was withdrawn, Whalley was his replacement and his first close quarters action was to watch Fletcher shoot just wide.
Lowry broke from the centre of midfield, fed Picken who was sprinting down the right wing. The full back crossed onto the head of Fletcher but the striker was adjudged to have fouled in winning the header.
Whalley caused some problems for Lowry and Picken down the Stanley left and he won a foul. Miles took the kick, Downes headed to Craney whose rocket return hit the back of a defender and flew out for a corner that was wasted.
Picken lost out to D'Sane but Lowry was on hand to retrieve the situation as Chesterfield struggled to threaten against a side that was superb in terms of effort and the noisy support from the meagre crowd of 1448 belied such a low turn out.
Leven threw deep for Fletcher but there was no-one on the end of his flick on as the home side made a second change, Proctor coming on for Miles.
Gray and Downes both had to intervene to hack the ball clear as the determined hosts kept pushing forwards before D'Sane miscued from a good position and subsequently fouled Downes in his frustration.
Downes, having a solid game, again cleared but he then fouled D'Sane and a penalty was awarded. PROCTOR stepped up to level on 73.
Lowry forced an excellent save and Spireites won their first corner of the second half but Ward's flag kick was cleared at the near post.
Harris and Roche had a spat after the Chesterfield keeper gathered the ball and the referee spoke to the pair of them. There was a further moment demonstrating a lack of control when Fletcher and Roberts were both carded for coming together after a foul by Leven.
Rooney came on for Lowry. Rooney headed a Bastians cross over the top after a poor punch by Dunbavin from Bastians free kick saw the German receive again. A bad miss.
Ward broke through, played the ball to the overlapping Leven, but he was crowded out.
Allison replaced Fletcher. Picken put the ball out for a left wing corner, Downes cleared Craney's kick but Harris delivered back into the danger zone only for an offside flag to deny Stanley a chance.
Roche made a great save to block Mullin and keep the score level before Edwards replaced Branch for the home side.
Niven sliced out the ball for a right wing corner, Craney delivered and D'SANE headed in from the near post to make it 2-1 with a minute to go.
FULL TIME
Stanley 2 Spireites 1
Subs Not Used: Boco, McGivern.
Booked: Roberts.
Goals: Proctor 74 pen, D'Sane 89.
Subs Not Used: Winter, O'Hare.
Booked: Niven, Fletcher.
Goal Ward 18
