Four wins on the bounce for Chesterfield

Goals from Imogen Fowler and Sophie Marshall in the first 45 minutes secured all three points for the home side.

The Blues started the game with a real intensity and were rewarded for their efforts within the first five minutes. Captain Millie Standen won a free-kick just on the edge of the box, which Fowler dispatched expertly into the bottom right-hand corner to give the hosts an early lead.

Chesterfield Ladies continued to pile on the pressure and had a great chance just minutes later. Chelsea Bailey whipped in a low cross which found the feet of Fowler but she dragged her effort just wide of the post.

It looked like only a matter of time before the second goal came for the Blues. Standen came close in the 25th minute but fired her close-range effort just over the bar following a great run from Fowler to find her. Fowler then thought she had made it 2-0 just a minute later when the ball found the back of the net, but the assistant referee deemed her to be in an offside position.

However, in the 30th minute the home side did take advantage of their sustained pressure. Fowler was played through on goal by Standen one on one against the Basford United goalkeeper. She unselfishly squared the ball to Sophie Marshall who made no mistake with the finish and rolled the ball into the back of the net to give Chesterfield Ladies a 2-0 lead.

The Blues went into the half time interval two goals to the good and were great value for their lead. It was one of the best halves of football the team have played all season and they could have had four or five goals going into the break.

The away side made some changes going into the second half which certainly made the game more balanced, but Chesterfield Ladies still remained the dominant side. Bailey had an opportunity five minutes after the restart. Her cross from the right wing looked to be looping into the top corner but the Basford goalkeeper managed to superbly parry the effort onto the bar.

65 minutes into the game, Lily Naylor found herself in space on the left-hand side of the pitch when her cross fell to Bailey whose left footed effort was turned round the post smartly by the Basford goalkeeper.

The Blues controlled the second half but didn’t create many further clear-cut chances. After 70 minutes Olivia Darley saw a 30 yard effort fly over the crossbar and also saw a close-range shot fired into the side netting.

Late on in the game, teenagers Libby Hudson and Izzy Bates came on as substitutes to make their senior debuts for the Blues.

Despite having little to do throughout the 90 minutes, Nic Stokes was forced into a fine reaction save just before the full-time whistle to keep her clean sheet intact.

On another day the hosts may have scored more goals than the two they managed on this occasion, but it doesn’t take away from a brilliant team effort and another three points on the board.

Next weekend sees Chesterfield Ladies host Rotherham United Women in the East Midlands Women’s League Plate Semi-Final, with hopes of reaching their second cup final of the season.

Chesterfield Ladies side: Stokes, Hopkinson, L Naylor, Warren, Abercrombie, Falleth, Connell, Standen (c), Marshall, Fowler, Bailey.

Used substitutes: Jebb-Geer, Darley, Hudson, Bates.