Lee Richardson retained the starting line-up that swept Hereford aside on Monday; his only change to the squad was to bring the fit-again Kevin Gray back on to the bench for Phil Picken.

Chesterfield won the game's first corner on 3 after Johnson tackled Lester, but Ward's flag kick was eventually cleared. Ball control was initially difficult for both sides on a bobbly, sanded pitch shared with the Wasps rugby union club.

The opening fifteen was scrappy and inconclusive. A needless free-kick on 15 gave Ward the opportunity to bend one in towards Kovacs on the back post, but Fielding was equal to it. Robertson broke through on 16 and looked to find Lester, but the bal was cleared for a corner. Ward's kick was cleared to Leven and Kovacs was beaten to his cross by Sutton, at the expense of the visitors' third corner. A good defensive header cleared the danger.

Doherty saw Roche tip his volley over the bar on 18, for the hosts' first corner. Ward took the ball between two defenders and towards the Wycombe goal on 21 and shot hard and low, and Fielding saved well.

Wycombe took the lead against the run of play on 25 when McGleish fired Sutton's pass into the net. Leven was taken late by Doherty on 28. The referee lectured Sutton on 31 for being over-physical but took no action beyond awarding a free kick when the same player clattered into the back of Downes a minute later.

Chesterfield were forced to weather a storm in the run-up to halftime and Roche saved from Martin on 36. Ward had the legs on McCracken and Leven tried to capitalise on that with a ball through the defence on 41, but there was just too much on it for Jamie to control the pass.

Wycombe were forced to bring Leon Knight on for Sutton after 42 minutes.

Halftime: Wycombe 1 Chesterfield 0

Ward was fouled by McCracken on 46 and Fielding was forced to punch Leven's free kick away for a throw. Doherty capitalised on some indecisive defending to curl a shot narrowly over from a good position on 52. Downes was spoken to after giving away an unnecessary free kick in the home side's half on 55.

With no change to the game's pattern in evidence since the half-time break, Lee Richardson brought Steve Fletcher into the game on 56 for Alan O'Hare. Ward went to the left, with Robertson dropping to left-back. Doherty's clumsy foul on Ward gave Leven the opportunity to find Fletcher but Holt headed the free kick clear. Wycombe broke through Knight, but his cross could only allow Bloomfield a looping header that Roche dealt with easily.

Ward was caught on 61 and needed treatment. Wycombe brought Stockley on for Woodman on 65. Kovacs brought McGleish down on 67 and was booked for it. Lowry showed great tenacity to take the ball into the Wycombe box but the home side were able to break quickly, Doherty won the second ball twice and Knight headed narrowly over.

Wycombe were clearly the more inventive now and were denying Chesterfield the possession they needed to get back in to the game. The visitors brought Barnes on for Moloney on 73, Robertson reverting to left-back. The Spireites got the ball into the box for Fletcher on 76 and Downes turned on to the knock-on to shoot, but the effort was blocked. Torres' 79^th-minute shot took a wicked bounce but Roche kept his cool and saved comfortably.

Chesterfield tried to press the hosts back as the game approached its conclusion. Kovacs reacted badly to a foul by Torres and was warned by the referee. Robertson and Ward worked the ball as far as Lester but the goalie beat down his effort. Lowry received his fifth yellow of the season for an 86^th-minute foul on Torres.