January 2012

The Spireites claimed a 2-1 victory against Oldham in the first game of the Northern Area Final at the b2net Stadium.

Danny Whitaker’s well-taken penalty gave John Sheridan’s side something to take into the return leg after a Robbie Simpson rocket had cancelled out Scott Boden’s close-range finish early in the second half.

Chesterfield could have scored twice in an end-to-end first half with Boden missing badly from close range but it was third time lucky when he arrived at the back post to ram in James Hurst’s 49th-minute cross.

Shefki Kuqi wasted a chance to level after he was pulled over in the 54th minute, but his penalty struck the top of the crossbar.

But there was nothing Chesterfield could do when Simpson sent a swerving 30-yard shot past Tommy Lee four minutes later.

Whitaker had the last word when he made his spot-kick count after Jack Lester had been tripped by James Tarkowski, who came into the side at the last minute after Zander Diamond was hurt in the warm-up.

“The first goal was about us getting punished by taking too many touches in the middle of the park and giving the ball away, so we are disappointed about that, but some of our attacking play without finding the finish was fantastic,” said Oldham manager Paul Dickov.

“It now makes for a great game in 10 days time. We have to go for it and we will go for it.”

In the Southern Area Final, Swindon came away from Barnet with a 1-1 draw.

Aden Flint's first-half header was cancelled out by Mark Hughes’ equaliser for the Bees 18 minutes from time.

Barnet had the better of the early exchanges but Sam Deering wasted their best chance as he lashed over from 10 yards.

After Danny Senda had been stretchered off with what has since been diagnosed as a dislocated kneecap, five minutes before the break, Swindon grabbed the opener, Flint powering in a header at the back post from a Paul Caddis cross.

The Robins threatened to put the tie out of reach early in the second half but were made to pay for their profligacy in front of goal.

Skipper Hughes found some space in the box and nodded in a free-kick from Mark Marshall to level.

And Barnet manager Lawrie Sanchez remains confident his side can get a result at the County Ground, saying: “We didn’t mark as we should have done for the goal and at the start of the second half we came out and were all over the place. But we stuck to the task and got what I thought we deserved at the end of the day.

“I have no worries about going there in the second leg.”

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