Coventry 0 : 0 Chesterfield - Spireites ride luck to stand tall

Posted Monday, December 29, 2014 by PA

Promotion-hunting Chesterfield survived a couple of close escapes to secure a point from a 0-0 draw at Coventry.

Paul Cook's Spireites, hovering just outside the play-off places, never created as much as the home side and saw their goal under serious threat on several occasions.

Coventry, whose manager Steven Pressley feels have been on the end of several harsh penalty decisions in recent weeks, thought their luck had changed in the 38th minute when striker Frank Nouble powered forward past Tendayi Darwika, who bought the on-loan midfielder down.

Referee Darren Handley pointed to the spot but then checked his decision with one of his assistants and changed his mind, awarding a free-kick on the edge of the area.

Home striker Simeon Jackson produced the moment of the game 11 minutes after the break when he raced clear of his marker and unleashed a shot which dipped just over the crossbar.

Aaron Martin could have won it with eight minutes to go when, urged to shoot by the home crowd, he let fly from 30 yards only for visiting goalkeeper Tommy Lee to palm the ball round the post, before Coventry's on-loan striker Gary Madine struck the woodwork in the final minute.