Chesterfield secured a valuable 2-1 away win at Oldham Athletic on Saturday, ending the Latics' perfect home record this season. Goals from Lee Bonis and Dilan Markanday ensured Micky Mellon's side took all three points in a hard-fought League Two encounter.
Bonis opened the scoring in the 18th minute, reacting quickest to slot home the rebound after his initial penalty was saved by Oldham goalkeeper Hudson. The spot-kick was awarded after Gus Scott-Morriss was penalised for handball. Oldham levelled shortly after half-time through Favour Fawunmi, but Chesterfield restored their lead just two minutes later when Markanday finished from close range following good work from Josh Koroma.
Mellon's men respond
The victory moves Chesterfield up to 12th in the League Two table, now on eight points from their opening six matches. Their recent form shows two wins, two draws and one defeat from the last five outings. The result also marked a significant reset after what manager Mellon described as a poor first-half performance.
Chesterfield had to withstand pressure and some contentious moments. Mike Fondop had a goal disallowed for handball in the 70th minute, while Oldham's McFadzean was booked for picking up Fondop and throwing him to the ground in the first half. Goalkeeper Boot made a key block on the line to deny Drummond just after the hour mark.
Key contributions
Lee Bonis, the club's top scorer this season with 13 goals in all competitions, was central to the victory with his early strike. His partnership with Calum Kavanagh up front caused problems, though Kavanagh was forced off with an apparent injury shortly after setting up a chance. Substitute Liam Mandeville came close to adding a third late on, but his shot struck the roof of the stand.
The team showed resilience to bounce back immediately after conceding an equaliser, a trait that will please the manager as they build momentum.
What comes next
With the international break now underway, Chesterfield have a fortnight to prepare for their next fixture. The squad will look to build on this away win and address the inconsistencies shown in recent weeks. Fans can check the upcoming schedule on the club's fixtures page. The team returns to action looking to climb further from their mid-table position.
This story first appeared at theoldhamtimes.co.uk
