Will Grigg scores late winner for Chesterfield against Oxford City - how the action unfolded

Tom Naylor headed in his first goal for the Spireites from impressive debutant James Berry’s corner just before half-time but Josh Parker volleyed an equaliser on the hour-mark.

It had been a difficult night for Town on the 3G surface at the Raw Charging Stadium and they did not deserve any more than a draw against the determined Hoops but Will Grigg pounced on 87 minutes to pinch the three points for his second goal in as many games.

It was not pretty but they found a way to win and nobody will be complaining come the end of the season if they keep grinding more victories like this out.

There is still a long way to go but the result moves the Blues top of the table and sets-up Saturday’s clash against fellow title contenders Oldham Athletic nicely.

In the first minute, Colclough went down in the box and he appealed for a penalty but referee Farai Hallam saw it differently and booked the winger, who did not appear to protest, for diving.

Berry was looking bright on his debut but it was the hosts who had the first chance when Parker forced Harry Tyrer into a save after some neat play on the edge of the box.

The Spireites, meanwhile, who were playing a 4-3-3, were struggling to create any opportunities against a well-organised Hoops side who gave the away team little space to work in.

It had been an uneventful half until five minutes before the break when Jamie Grimes and Berry both headed over and then Liam Mandeville fired over from the edge of the box.

And then during one minute of added-on time, which told the story of how flat this game had been, the direct Berry forced a low save out of goalkeeper Chris Haigh and the debutant swung in the resulting corner which Naylor headed in to break the deadlock. It was a perfect time to score and would have settled any nerves going into the second-half.

The first 15 minutes after the break mirrored the first 45 with very few openings. Just before the hour, Chesterfield reverted back to the more favoured 4-2-3-1 and Ollie Banks came on for the impressive Berry, with Jacobs moving wide left.

But just minutes later, Oxford City equalised when Parker volleyed in Lewis Coyle’s cross at the back post.

Chesterfield were second best for a period after that and the Hoops looked the more likely to net a winner.

But the Spireites gradually showed some glimpses of improvement and Jeff King, who was brought on at left-back, whistled a shot from distance narrowly wide and then Ash Palmer’s diving header was saved by Haigh.

With the clock ticking down and the result heading for a draw, some neat play around the edge of Oxford’s box created a chance for Grigg and he found the bottom corner for his second goal in as many games and it proved to be the winner thanks also to a brilliant low save from Tyrer to deny Parker at the death.

Chesterfield (4-3-3): Tyrer; Sheckleford, Palmer, Grimes, Horton (King, 72); Naylor, Mandeville (Oldaker, 84), Jacobs; Colclough, Grigg, Berry (Banks 59).

Unused subs: Jones, Quigley.