ACE OLLY HAS LEFT ANXIOUS COOK WITH A FINE MESS

IMPRESSIVE York City moved closer to securing their National League status for next season, while exposing Chesterfield’s play-off frailties at the Technique Stadium.

Liam Mandeville got the Spireites off to the best possible start with a 19th-minute opener, only for the Minstermen to hit back through Olly Dyson’s brilliant strike.

Michael Duckworth’s outrageous 40-yard effort put Michael Morton’s men in front at the start of the second half before Paddy McLaughlin’s unstoppable drive wrapped it up in front of York’s magnificent

1,000+ away support.

“It means absolutely everything playing against a top-quality side like that.” Morton said. “When they got the goal, it showed our togetherness.

“I’m absolutely delighted for the lads. I’m just so proud of [the fans]. We all want the fans to enjoy their day out. I thought they were outstanding today.”

The Spireites marched into the lead when a short corner routine between Jeff King, Ryan Colclough and Mandeville allowed the latter the room to take aim and fire a rocket beyond Ryan Whitley in the York goal.

Chesterfield were not having it all their own way, however, and almost got caught out by a Dyson piledriver – the ball cannoning off the post. Shaq Forde was then given the freedom of Chesterfield to curl the ball past Ross Fitzsimons but ballooned his closerange effort. Lenell John-Lewis almost caught Fitzsimons out again 25 yards out by with the angle against him he could only find the side-netting.

Then, with half-time looming, York got the equaliser they deserved. A long ball was headed into the path of Dyson, who unleashed a half-volley from 25-yards to stun the majority of the 8,000+ crowd.

Six minutes into the second half things got even quieter when the Minstermen took the lead. Fitzsimons’ poor clearance left the goalkeeper stranded and Duckworth brilliantly found the net from 40 yards.

The Spireites huffed and puffed for an equaliser as the half grew with Akwasi Asante and Joe Quigley coming on to help the charge.

However, the visitors sealed the win on 73 minutes when a corner was cleared as far as standin captain McLaughlin, who sent a low drive from the edge of the box into the bottom right corner.

Colclough had a duo of near post efforts well saved by Whitley as Paul Cook’s side fell to a first defeat in eight games.

“It was a tough day in the end,” Cook admitted. “Great crowd, pitch great, the town bouncing. We really wanted to send our supporters home happy, but we just fell absolutely flat.

“It’s heart-breaking, it’s disappointing. It’s something you’ve got to accept as painful as it is.”

STAR MAN: Mark Ellis (York)

ATT: 8,638 ENTERTAINMENT: ★★★★★ REFEREE: Michael Barlow