Chesterfield progressed through to the second round of the FA Cup after beating a spirited Daventry Town side 2-0.
Gary Roberts scored mid-way through the second half and Jimmy Ryan struck late on to seal Chesterfield’s passage through to tomorrow’s draw.
The Spireites made a couple of changes to the side that drew 1-1 with Scunthorpe United last weekend as Gary McSheffrey, Sam Hird and Eoin Doyle were brought into the side in the place of Jamie Devitt, Ritchie Humphreys and Jay O’Shea. The cup tie kicked off at an intense pace with both sets of fans in fine voice, making it an intimidating atmosphere.
As the intensity of the game started to die down, Ollie Banks had the first opportunity of the game. He picked the ball up 25 yards out and took on a defender, but his shot just went wide of Richard Morris’ goal.
As the tackles started flying in, McSheffrey received the first booking of the afternoon - bringing down Tom Lorraine from behind. McSheffrey was in and amongst the action again as he narrowly blasted wide of the post on 20 minutes. Marc Richards’ initial header was blocked on the line and the former Coventry man’s follow up just scraped the wrong side of the post.
The referee, who was in charge of his first game involving a league side, brandished a second yellow card of the afternoon as he booked Gary Roberts for a late tackle. The visitors were holding their own and striker, Lorraine went close to giving the non-league side a shock lead. He got on the end of a cross but his header wasn’t troubling Tommy Lee and it ballooned over the crossbar.
Lorraine was finding a lot of space around the backline and should have given Daventry the lead. The striker got behind the defence but Hird got back superbly to deflect his shot wide of the goal. Daventry were really causing a threat in attack and five minutes before half time, Ross Oulton danced through the Spireites defence and forced Lee into a save down to his near post and the sides went into the break level.
The Spireites came out for the second half showing signs of intent. McSheffrey forced the goalkeeper into a good save early on and the whole ground thought Banks had scored, but his effort went behind the goal. Jimmy Ryan was the third Spireites player to make his way into the referee’s notebook as he pulled back a Daventry midfielder.
Daventry captain, Liam Dolman was forced off ten minutes into the second half with injury and he was replaced by Joe Henderson. This prompted Chesterfield into their first substitution of the game as McSheffrey was replaced by winger, O’Shea.
After a lengthy stoppage for Mykel Beckley, Chesterfield brought on their second substitution as Armand Gnanduillet replaced Richards. Five minutes after the hour mark, Liam Cooper was adjudged to have fouled a Daventry striker and became the fourth player to be booked by referee, Darren Handley.
Chesterfield finally took the lead mid-way through the second half through Roberts. O’Shea’s cross was directed straight onto the foot of the winger, who finished past the goalkeeper to give the Spireites the breakthrough.
The home side started to dictate the play and the provider of the goal, O’Shea was unfortunate not to get his shot on target from the edge of the area on 70 minutes. Marcel Simpson was instrumental in Daventry’s defence and he did expertly to deny Doyle a chance to extend the lead as his outstretched leg denied the Irishman, who looked odds on to score. Chesterfield made their final substitution of the game on 80 minutes as Doyle’s afternoon came to an ending, and he was replaced by Tendayi Darikwa.
With less than five minutes of normal time remaining, O’Shea came close to doubling the home side’s lead. He received the ball from substitute Darikwa but goalkeeper, Morris pulled off a great save. Ryan did put the game beyond doubt for the Spireites as he extended their lead two minutes before the end. He picked the ball up 25 yards out and his deflected shot looped over the goalkeeper and in off the crossbar.
O’Shea and Gnanduillet both had shots in additional time, but Morris stood up well and saved comfortably. Daventry had a chance to get a goal back right at the end, but their run came to an end and it’s the Spireites that progress through to round two.
Chesterfield: Lee; Talbot, Evatt (c), Hird, Cooper; McSheffrey (O'Shea 57'), Roberts, Banks, Ryan; Doyle (Darikwa 81'), Richards (Gnanduillet 65').
Subs not used: Chapman, Humphreys, Togwell, Devitt.
Daventry Town: Morris, Wilkinson, Blake, Simpson, Dolman (c)(Henderson 55'), Confue, Oulton, Howell (Cross 79'), Robinson, Lorraine, Beckley (Murphy 64').
Subs not used: Ebanks, Sanders, King, Iustin.
Goals: Chesterfield (Roberts 69', Ryan 88') 2 - 0 Daventry Town
Attendance: 5,269 (706 Daventry Town)
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