MATCH REPORT: Accrington Stanley 4-0 Chesterfield

Jack Lester’s side were second best on the day and have now picked up just one point from their last six league matches.

Two sides desperate to return to some kind of form battled out an eye-catching opening 45 minutes at Stanley’s tiny Wham Stadium.

However, it was the hosts who were clinical and they led 2-0 at the break.

Jerome Binnom-Williams and new recruit Zavon Hines had already gone close for the Spirieites before Stanley struck the opener after 19 minutes.

Kayden Jackson pulled a beauty of a cross back into the path of experienced centre-back Mark Hughes, who lashed gleefully into the roof of the net from eight yards.

Josh Kay fired narrowly over the top for the visitors as they sought a swift leveller.

Just beyond the half-hour mark, Stanley struck again, though, courtesy of an even better goal.

This time Sean McConville took a short pass from Jackson before curling an exquisite strike into the top corner from 25 yards in off the right-hand post.

It was almost 3-0 when Jordan Clark raced clear unopposed, but he dragged a shot disappointingly wide.

A desperate own-goal by Aaron Ramsdale stretched Accrington’s lead two minutes after the restart.

The Spireites’ keeper failed to hold on to Jackson’s harmless-looking low cross and the ball trickled over the line.

The visitors appeared down and out, but they kept plugging away and Kay forced a fine save from Accrington keeper Aaron Chapman just past the hour mark.

The Spireites’ day was summed up when they were denied twice by Chapman in the 80th minute.

He saved sub Jak McCourt’s clean 20-yard strike, before somehow then getting up to beat away a close-range follow-up attempt from a stunned Hines.

And Billy Kee made it 4-0 in the 89th minute, tapping home after Ramsdale failed to hold on to sub Makhi McLeod’s shot.

Accrington Stanley: (4-4-2): Chapman 7, Johnson 6, Richards-Everton 6, Hughes 8, Donacien 6 (Dunne 52 7), Clark 8, Nolan 7, Brown 6, McConville 8, Jackson 8 (McLeod 76 6), Kee 7 (Sykes 89 N/A).

Subs not used: Stryjek, Ogle, Hmami, Watson.

Bookings: Johnson & Jackson

Chesterfield: (4-5-1): Ramsdale 4, Talbot 7, Nelson 5, Maguire 5, Binnom-Williams 5 (McCourt 46 5), Rowley 5 (Kellett 70 6), Reed 7, Weir 5, Kay 6 (German 78 5), Hines 7, Dennis 5.

Subs not used: Parkin, Dimaio, De Girolamo, Ofoegbu.

Bookings: Maguire and Hines

Goals: Hughes 19, McConville 32, Ramsdale (og) 47, Kee 89

Referee: Chris Sarginson 7/10

Attendance: 1,655