DENNIS IS MAIN MENACE AS SPIERITES LOOK TO CLIMB UP
Lester’s boys are clicking into gear
ASECOND-HALF strike from Kristian Dennis gave Chesterfield a much-needed win over high flying Exeter, much to the delight of manager Jack Lester.
Chesterfield remain bottom but are now only four points from safety as opposed to nine when Lester took charge.
To coin a business phrase, ‘the trend is good’ at the Proact stadium and the manager was quick to praise not only his players but Chesterfield’s long-suffering fans.
“Our fans got us through those final few minutes. As for the players, I am delighted with them and pleased for them because all their hard work this last month or so is beginning to pay off,” he said.
“Exeter are the best footballing side we have played this season but we more than matched them. It was a battling performance and we could had more than the one goal. That said, Exeter were good on the break. Kristian Dennis and Jak McCourt may well get the headlines but Ian Evatt and Sam Hird were outstanding in defence.
“This was a much-needed three points, but the performance as well as the result has given us something to build on.”
Chesterfield were first to show when Jak McCourt flashed a header inches wide from Jerome Binnom-Williams’ cut-back.
Unquestionably the Spireites have improved under Lester. They built well, if a little methodically from the back, allowing Exeter
STAR MAN IAN EVATT Chesterfield
time to organise in defence.
The Grecians were dangerous on the counter-attack. Lee Holmes was as quick as a finger-snap in thought and movement and only a fine save down to his left by Joe Anyon prevented the former Southampton man giving Exeter the lead.
Two minutes later Liam McAlinden beat two defenders only to see Anyon palm his low drive to safety.
The Spireites gradually seized back the initiative but their inability to produce a final ball of quality undid fine approach work.
The home side picked up the same script in the second half and took a deserved lead on 50 minutes. Louis Reed’s corner from the right evaded everyone bar Dennis, who slid in at the far post for his tenth goal of the season.
Exeter continued to prod and probe but that dreadnaught of a centre-half, Ian Evatt, was imperious. On 70 minutes Jake Taylor’s teasing cross from the left skimmed across the home sixyard box with flaying Exeter toe-caps unable to make the vital connection. A flurry of substitutes from both benches in the last quarter was testimony to Exeter’s desire to get something from the game and Chesterfield’s determination to deny them. Exeter came close to salvaging a point when McAlinden’s fierce drive smacked Anyon’s crossbar but that was a close as the Grecians came. With two minutes remaining, Scott Wiseman failed to live up to his name when, having been booked for arguing with referee Marin Coy, he was given his marching orders for a needless foul on Moxey.
“Disappointed to lose,” was the reaction of Grecians boss Paul Tisdale. “That said, there were positives. The discipline, positional play and attitude was very good. We played some really expansive football at times but, in the end, to no avail.
“We knew it would be very hard, but to concede from a setpiece is particularly disappointing. One lapse in concentration cost us the game.
“Rest assured, we’ll pick ourselves up and be ready to go again.”