The Bees’ eight-game unbeaten run on the road came to an end in Derbyshire as Chesterfield emerged 3-1 victors at the SMH Group Stadium this afternoon.
Dean Brennan made one change to the side that put four past Bristol Rovers on Tuesday night, with Callum Stead starting over Anthony Hartigan who took his place on the bench.
It was a quiet opening five minutes at the SMH Group Stadium, with neither side creating an opportunity in front of goal.
The first real chance of the game came for the hosts, with Devan Tanton’s looping cross/shot bouncing off the bar.
Chesterfield took the lead just after ten minutes. Cieran Slicker was there to parry away Lee Bonis’ initial effort, but he wasn’t able to keep out the rebound from the Spireites number ten.
Ryan Glover threaded the ball through to Callum Stead who was in a dangerous position in the box, but the number ten’s effort was deflected out for the first Bees’ corner of the tie halfway through the first 45.
A looping Kane Smith corner found the head of an unmarked Adam Senior, but the number five sent the effort just over the bar.
Britt Assombalonga found himself with only Zach Hemming in the Chesterfield net to beat when the ball fell to him shortly after, but the linesman was quick to put his flag up for offside.
The hosts were unlucky not to double their lead just after the half an hour mark. A poor clearance from the Bees saw the ball fall to Kyle McFadzean who played through Bonis in the area, but the Spireites number ten couldn’t control the ball and it was eventually blocked by the Barnet backline.
Mark Shelton pulled a goal back as the clock ticked towards half-time, finding the back of the net from a Smith corner to close the gap.
Half-time: Chesterfield 2-1 Barnet
The Bees started brightly following the restart, with Stead striking straight into the hands of Hemming from close-range.
The momentum continued to swing in the visitor’s favour early in the second 45 and Smith was unlucky not to find an equaliser when an effort from outside the area hit the inside of the left post.
Paul Cook’s side came close on multiple occasions from consecutive corners, with Kyle McFazdean’s and Dylan Duffy’s effort both blocked in the box.
Assombalonga was then felled and Barnet were awarded a free-kick out on the right, but Smith’s delivery evaded every shirt in the area and frustratingly went out for a goal-kick.
The first change of the afternoon came on 67 minutes, with Callum Stead being replaced by Rhys Browne.
Our number 27 was pulled to the floor again, but this time in the penalty area, but the referee waved away any shouts very quickly.
Another foul on Assombalonga and the 32-year-old stepped up to take the set-piece, but it took a deflection as it headed over the bar, not troubling Hemming in the hosts’ net.
As the half progressed, Nnamdi Ofoborh sent an effort on target, but with little power on it, Hemming gathered easily.
Chesterfield scored their third with ten minutes to go, with Liam Mandeville sending the ball past Cieran Slicker.
A double change from Dean Brennan followed, with Joe Hugill and Ben Winterburn coming on in place of Mark Shelton and Idris kanu.
The Spireites came close to a second with five minutes to go, with Slicker tipping an effort from Will Grigg over the bar and that was the last action at the SMH Group Stadium.
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Full-time: Chesterfield 3-1 Barnet
Line-up: Slicker, Collinge, Senior, Stead (Browne, 67’), Kanu (Winterburn, 83’), Glover, Shelton (Hugill, 83’), Smith, Tavares, Assombalonga, Ofoborh
Goals: Shelton (41’)