Leaders Chesterfield go 10 unbeaten after comfortable win at Boreham Wood - how the action unfolded

The dominant Spireites took the lead just after the half-hour mark when Liam Mandeville headed in Ryan Colclough’s cross.

They had a huge chance to double their advantage before the break but Will Grigg struck a penalty over the bar after Mandeville was fouled in the box by Matt Robinson.

Town had more opportunities to grab a second goal but they had to wait until 83 minutes to find it, substitute Joe Quigley stabbing home from close-range.

Victory means the Blues stay top of the table, stretching their lead over third-placed Solihull Moors to eight points, with Barnet in second in action later in the tea-time kick-off.

Chesterfield are now unbeaten in 10, which includes an impressive nine wins. This was also their second clean sheet on the bounce and their first-ever victory at Boreham in their sixth attempt.

Paul Cook, who started his four-match touchline ban, made five changes from the midweek win against Bromley. There was no Ash Palmer in the squad but Ryheem Sheckleford came back into the 16 after missing 10 games with a hamstring injury.

Chesterfield were comfortable in possession early on and Jeff King forced a save from goalkeeper Nathan Ashmore, who has performed some heroics against the Spireites in recent seasons.

More good play saw Branden Horton make a clever overlapping run down the left. He tried to pick out Grigg with a cross but the ball was just too far in front of him.

Tom Naylor was dictating play and he made Ashmore make another save with a drilled shot from distance but the home keeper collected at the second attempt.

It continued to be one-way traffic as Mandeville dragged a shot wide from inside the area, with the hosts’ only threat coming from Chris Bush’s long throw.

Town were rewarded for their dominance on 33 minutes when Armando Dobra’s quick free-kick sent Colclough away down the left. The winger, despite being surrounded by two men, did ever so well to stand up a cross which Mandeville headed in.

Just minutes later the Blues had a big chance to double their lead after they were awarded a penalty when Robinson tripped Mandeville in the box but Grigg put the resulting spot-kick over the bar.

But Grigg and Chesterfield did not drop their heads and they kept pushing on and a swift counter, with some brilliant hold-up play by the Spireites’ number nine at the heart of it, presented a chance to Naylor but he curled wide.

Overall, Cook’s men had dominated the first 45 and deserved their lead but they would have been hoping Grigg’s penalty miss did not come back to bite them. Boreham, who went into this clash 18th, had rarely threatened.

Chesterfield were on the front-foot right from the beginning of the second-half and they had another big chance to get a second goal but Colclough put the ball over from close-range after King delivered a low cross.

Town kept the pressure on as Horton’s dangerous cross evaded everyone in the box and then the left-back had a thunderous shot well blocked.

At times, the Blues had every outfield player in the opposition half, forcing Boreham to get everyone behind the ball.

The Wood made a double change on the hour-mark in an attempt to change the momentum of the game, with former Spireite Tom Whelan one of those withdrawn.

But Chesterfield kept on coming, this time Dobra won possession back after losing it, before pulling the trigger with a low strike, but Ashmore got down low to his right to parry.

One lapse in concentration at the back gave Erico Sousa an opening but his poor touch let him down and the Spireites were let off the hook.

Cook made a tactical switch with 12 minutes to go, with Michael Jacobs replacing King, with Mandeville going to right-back.

With seven minutes remaining, the Spireites finally had some breathing space when substitute Quigley stabbed home from close-range, assisted by Jacobs.

Down the other end, Jamie Grimes made a stunning block from Sousa to ensure the home side could not get any hope in the latter stages.

During six minutes of added-time, Chesterfield fans sang about being top of the league, and bounced around in the away end, and who could blame them. They are a winning machine right now.

Chesterfield: Tyrer; King (Jacobs, 78), Williams, Grimes, Horton; Jones, Naylor; Mandeville, Dobra, Colclough (Banks, 82); Grigg (Quigley, 75)

Unused subs: Sheckleford, Berry.