Lee, Spencer and Sinnott net as Town get back to winning ways
Simon Grayson’s men returned to winning ways at Chesterfield this evening with goals from Alan Lee, Jimmy Spencer and Jordan Sinnott sealing an impressive performance from the Terriers.Scott Arfield made a welcome return to the starting line-up as his recovery from an ankle injury stepped up ahead of the start of competitive football next Monday at Preston.
The Terriers, playing in a 4-4-2 formation, started well with Alan Lee testing the hands of Chesterfield ‘keeper Tommy Lee within the first few minutes, from a Kallum Higginbotham set-piece.
However, Town didn’t have to wait much longer to get the better of Lee; after Arfield had seen his left footed effort rebound off the post Higginbotham was on hand to lay it on a plate for Alan Lee, who smashed home low from six yards.
Apart from a wild effort from former Arsenal midfielder Mark Randall, the home side had threatened very little during the open stages of the game – making life back in the starting line-up very easy for Jamie McCombe.
The majority of Town’s play was coming down the right through Arfield and it was his precise cross which allowed Jimmy Spencer to deftly head home from ten yards to double Town’s advantage with 23 minutes gone – the Terriers at this point were good value for their lead.
The home side went close to levelling matters in the 31st minute when former Scunthorpe man, Sam Togwell collected the ball from Danny Whitaker and curled wide from 20 yards. The supplier of the earlier pass, Whitaker, then tested Bennett from a similar position, but his effort landed tamely in the stoppers arms.
With the half drawing to a close Spencer should have made it three when Higginbotham’s inside pass was flicked through by Lee into the striker’s stride. Spencer, who spent last year at Cheltenham, was left one-on-one with Lee, but lacked composure and blazed over from 18 yards.
HALF TIME – CHESTERFIELD 0 2 HUDDERSFIELD TOWN
The Spireites started the second 45 in more determined fashion and were within inches of closing the deficit when Drew Talbot latched onto a loose ball and curled a superb effort against Ian Bennett’s crossbar – thankfully for Town, Chesterfield had no one on hand to put home the rebound.
The same man went close again on 56 minutes when he met Whitaker’s near post corner with his head, but he saw his effort blocked on the line by a Town leg as the home side continued their impressive start to the second-half.
Ian Bennett, who had done very little all evening, was called upon to make a fantastic double save just after the hour mark when firstly Whitaker tried after darting down the left and then from the rebound, Craig Westcarr volleyed on target from 12 yards.
The home side continued to huff and puff as the contested entered the last quarter with their only shot of note coming from the lively Whitaker after he had shrugged off the attentions of trailist Scott Kay, who had earlier been introduced at the expense of Jamie McCombe on 58 minutes for Town.
With just a few minutes remaining – and arguably against the run of play, Town made it three when Academy graduate Jordan Sinnott collected Higginbotham’s long ball with a fantastic first touch before bundling the ball through Tommy Lee and home from three yards out.
FULL TIME – CHESTERFIELD 0 3 HUDDERSFIELD TOWN
Town’s team (4-4-2):
Ian Bennett; Liam Ridehalgh, Murray Wallace, Jamie McCombe (Scott Kay, 58), Tom Clarke; Kallum Higginbotham, Antony Kay (c) (Jordan Sinnott, 58), Scott Arfield (Chris Atkinson, 58), Anton Robinson; Jimmy Spencer, Alan Lee (Matt Crooks, 74)
Unused substitutes:
Lloyd Allinson, Max Leonard
