Chesterfield relegation finally confirmed after defeat to Scunthorpe

The sorry Spireites have been fighting for their third-tier status for a long while now, but an own goal from Paul McGinn and Ivan Toney’s double either side of the break confirmed their return to League Two after just three seasons away.

The visitors bagged themselves a late consolation through Tom Anderson, but what sort of consolation is it for the fans after going down.

An own goal just summed up the type of season Chesterfield have had.

They are simply not good enough for this level and a spineless performance at home to Southend United was all but the last straw.

The club have lost contact with Libyan international Sadiq El Fitouri before the Southend game, and he was absent from the match day line up at Glanford Park.

The Spireites did not have a shot on target against Southend, and they only had two on goal yesterday.

It took just 21 minutes for the promotion-chasing Iron to take the lead, and it was the worst possible goal to virtually send the Spireites down.

Twenty-goal midfielder Josh Morris whipped in a corner, which cannoned off McGinn into his own net.

Nine minutes before the break Reece Mitchell had a strike blocked, before Connor Dimaio side-footed the visitors’ best chance wide.

And he was made to pay for it as Toney nodded home his fourth goal in five games, though keeper Thorsten Stuckmann thought he was impeded by the striker.

The Spireites continued to struggle after the break as Stuckmann was forced into action numerous times.

It was almost three just before the hour mark as Paddy Madden left the bar rattling.

A couple of minutes later Stuckmann proved why he has been the Spireites’ standout this term with a top stop to push Stephen Dawson’s goal-bound strike wide.

Down the other end Krystian Dennis headed wide before Stuckmann denied Madden, who was eventually flagged offside.

With 17 minutes left Tony doubled his tally, and moved to 13 goals this season, after marginally beating Stuckmann and defender Anderson to a loose ball.

From the restart Dan Gardner hammered an angry effort wide from outside the box.

Toney almost turned provider by pulling the ball back to Neal Bishop, who missed a glorious chance to add to the scoresheet by dragging his shot wide.

In stoppage time Anderson headed home a meaningless goal for Caldwell’s men.

Scunthorpe: Anyon, Wiseman, Wallace, Mirfin, Townsend, Bishop, Dawson, Ness (Mantom, 75), Morris, Madden (van Veen 69), Toney (Davies, 82).

Unused subs: Toffolo, Holmes, Watson, Sutton.

Chesterfield: Stuckmann, Hird, Anderson, Maguire, McGinn, Gardner, Dimaio, Rowley (Wakefield, 85), Simons (Mitchell,34), Dennis, Faupala (Jones, 68).

Unused subs: Fulton, Jones, Grimshaw, Ebanks-Blake.

Refere: Darren Drysdale (Lincolnshire)

Attendance: 4,636