Spireites Cruise to Victory at Alfreton.
Armand Gnanduillet struck a first-half hat-trick as the Spireites cruised to a comprehensive 5-1 victory at Alfreton on Tuesday night. A Lathaniel Rowe-Turner own-goal and a goal from Charlie Raglan sealed a convincing win with the hosts grabbing a consolation mid-way through the second period.
The first real chance fell to Alfreton skipper Dwayne Courtney, whose half-volley sailed high and wide of the target. With 15 minutes on the clock, the Spireites opened the scoring when Gnanduillet found the net with a low drive from the edge of the area after receiving the ball from Gary Roberts.
Eight minutes later, Gnanduillet doubled Chesterfield’s lead when he towered above his marker at the far-post to head a Jay O’Shea cross past Alfreton goalkeeper Jon Stewart. Former Spireites defender Dan Gray stepped up to take a free-kick for the home side and found the side-netting.
Paul Clayton also threatened inside the area before having his attempt blocked magnificently by Sam Hird. Gnanduillet completed his hat-trick just before the break after the striker broke free of the defence before finishing smartly under Stewart, who was slow when coming off his line.
After the re-start, Gnanduillet fired in a speculative effort that went narrowly wide of the target. On 63 minutes, the home side pulled a goal back after substitute goalkeeper Myles Wright’s clearance ricocheted against the leg of an Alfreton trialist before finding its way into the bottom corner of the net.
The Spireites restored their three-goal lead when Rowe-Turner turned a cross into his own net. Just four minutes had passed before substitute Raglan made it 5-1 with a close-range finish from a trialist’s low cross.
Former Spireite Jamie Jackson, featuring on trial as a substitute for Alfreton, fired in a shot that was comfortably held by Wright. The final chance of the evening fell to a Chesterfield trialist who cut inside before firing narrowly wide.
