Chesterfield on the brink after Mansfield defeat

Posted Saturday, April 14, 2018 by PA

Chesterfield’s Football League survival hopes were hanging by a thread after rivals Mansfield revived their play-off aspirations with a 1-0 win at the Proact Stadium.

Mansfield’s first victory in 10 games was secured midway through the second half when Mal Benning cut inside and scored with a low shot and although Chesterfield pressed, they could not break through a determined defence.

The visitors had the first chance when Benning’s dipping shot came out to Alfie Potter, who fired over from 12 yards, and they should have scored in the 19th minute when Benning picked out Danny Rose but from 10 yards he hit the legs of Aaron Ramsdale.

Chesterfield did not threaten until the closing stages of the first half when Kristian Dennis cut in from the left and forced Conrad Logan into a diving save.

The game was evenly poised in the second half but Benning had caused problems all afternoon and in the 67th minute he got behind Chesterfield on the left and found the bottom corner with a shot from 15 yards.

Chesterfield almost equalised in the 79th minute when a Louis Dodds shot deflected off Dennis and went just wide and Jak McCourt had a shot charged down but Mansfield held on for a deserved win.