Akwasi Asante celebrated his new contract by opening the scoring in the 48th minute but he wasn’t the only one on the scoresheet on a very successful afternoon at the Technique Stadium as Chesterfield beat the league’s form team Yeovil Town 3-0.
James Rowe made two changes to the starting eleven that were victorious against Eastleigh in midweek. Martin Smith and Jack Clarke made way for Jak McCourt and Liam Mandeville.
The first shot on target came in the 24th minute and McCourt came very close to opening the scoring. Tom Whelan weaved through the defence with ease to lay off to McCourt whose effort from close range was tipped over by Adam Smith in the Yeovil goal.
Yeovil had their best chance of the first half when they broke on the counter and the ball was played to Rhys Murphy who was in space. The striker’s effort on the half-volley flew high and wide.
Chesterfield went agonisingly close to taking the lead on the edge of half-time when Curtis Weston’s long-range strike saw Smith spill the ball into the path of Asante however the Glovers ‘keeper did well to recover and tip the in-form striker’s chance out for a corner.
Despite Chesterfield having the better chances there was nothing to separate the two teams at the break.
James Rowe’s men started the second half well and took the lead in the 48th minute. Tom Whelan held the ball up and played a magnificent through-ball to Asante who took the ball wide and squeezed it past the ‘keeper.
The Spireites looked to double their lead when Mandeville rounded the ‘keeper and put in a cross which rolled across the face of goal however nobody could latch on before it was hacked away by the Glovers’ defence.
Chesterfield did double their lead in the 68th minute through the means of Whelan. The energetic midfielder was allowed time and room on the edge of the box to pick his corner and he fired in effortlessly.
McCourt got in on the act in the 77th minute when he added Chesterfield’s third. Substitute Joel Taylor and Whelan linked up well on the left and the former picked out an unmarked McCourt who took a touch before firing into the roof of the net.
Late on Tom Knowles called Grant Smith into action with a low strike inside the area but the Spireites ‘keeper saved firmly.
The win takes Chesterfield up to ninth in the National League; two points off the play-offs with two games in hand.
Chesterfield (3-4-2-1) : Smith; Kerr, Gunning, Maguire; Carline, Weston, McCourt, Whittle (Taylor 69’); Mandeville (Clarke 80’), Whelan; Asante (Tyson 75’)
Unused substitutes: Evans, M Smith
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