Match report: Fleetwood Town 2 Chesterfield 1

The sorry Spireites have now lost EIGHT Sky Bet League One matches in a row and are now sat firmly at the foot of the table.

After being hammered at rivals Sheffield United last Sunday, the club saw majority shareholder Dave Allen resign as both chairman and director at Monday’s Annual General Meeting.

Just as the focus was getting back to the pitch, four move board members stood down on the eve of the trip to Fleetwood.

Jay O’Shea scored a penalty but goals from Amari Bell and substitute Victor Nirennold compounded a disastrous six days for the club on a miserable afternoon at Highbury.

An injury list as long as you could imagine meant manager Danny Wilson named coach Ritchie Humphreys on the bench, as well as two 20-year-olds and four teenagers.

Star striker Ched Evans failed to shake off an ankle injury sustained at former club Sheffield United, whilst Sunday’s goalscorer Jon Nolan also missed out with a hamstring strain.

Goal-keeper Lloyd Allinson came in for his full Football League debut after Liverpool loanee Ryan Fulton shipped four goals against the Blades.

Allinson was called into action early on to deny Conor McLaughlin’s back-post header.

O’Shea squandered the perfect opportunity to give the visitors something to cheer about.

Shot-stopper Alex Cairns spilled Dion Donohue’s cross with O’Shea blasting over from eight yards amid a scramble in the box.

On minute 27, defender Bell netted his first league goal for the Cod Army as he calmly converted David Ball’s cross from close range.

Murray’s men looked better after the restart as Gboly Ariyibi made a nuisance of himself down the left.

Just before the hour Ariyibi’s misdirected flat cross skimmed the bar.

Cairns pulled off a sublime stop to keep Reece Mitchell’s attempt at bay before the Cod Army doubled their advantage.

Ashley Hunter caught the visitors’ on the counter down the left with super sub Nirennold sliding in to direct his cross in at the back post.

Minutes later the Spireites were awarded a penalty after Kristian Dennis was hauled down by Ball, with O’Shea stepping up to net his third goal in four games.

Late on Liam O’Neill almost stole a point as his cross-come-shot clipped the bar, just like Ariyibi’s earlier in the second period.

Fleetwood: Cairns, Eastham, Pond, Bolger (Nirennold, 53), McLaughlin, Bell, Grant, Glendon, Dempsey, Ball (Cole, 72), Hunter (Holloway, 84).

Unused subs: Neal, Jonsson, Sowerby, Ekpolo.

Chesterfield: Allinson, Liddle, Evatt, Anderson, Mitchell, O’Neil, Dimaio (Maguire 80), Donohue, Ariyibi, Dennis (Beesley, 72), O’Shea.

Unused subs: Fulton, Simons, Humphreys, Ofoegbu, German.

Attendance: 2,901

Referee: Seb Stockbridge (Tyne)