Spireites ease past Pirates

Gary Roberts inspired Chesterfield to a third consecutive win by setting up all three goals in a 3-1 win over Bristol Rovers.

The midfielder laid on first-half goals for Sam Morsy and Ollie Banks and although Lee Brown scored a spectacular equaliser, Roberts helped Eoin Doyle score Chesterfield's third. The Spireites needed only five minutes to take the lead when Roberts and Doyle linked well to play in Morsy, who finished clinically from 12 yards. Roberts was denied a second by a great tackle from Michael Smith but Rovers hit back with a superb equaliser when Brown curled a shot into the top corner from the left edge of the box in the 36th minute. Chesterfield needed just eight minutes to regain the lead, with Banks dispatching another Roberts pass from 10 yards, and Rovers fell further behind soon after half-time when Roberts sent Doyle in to slip the ball under Steve Mildenhall. Banks was denied a fourth by Mildenhall and substitute Jay O'Shea struck the top of the crossbar as Chesterfield ran out impressive winners.