Chesterfield brought their three deadline day signings into the squad for the game at Dagenham, but only Colin Hawkins started, in place of Janos Kovacs, rested to the bench in order to protect him from a tenth booking and suspension (After today's game, the trigger for suspension becomes fifteen games.) Graeme Owens and Bruce Dyer made it as far as the bench, while Hartley was restored to the left-back slot in preference to Robertson. Hartley's Sunderland team-mate David Dowson looked to line up in left midfield.

Ward shot over the bar in the second minute, and Lowry came close with a lob towards Roberts' far post in a bright opening spell for the visitors. When the Daggers did come forward Roche had to be alert to deal with a loose back-pass, wellying it out for a throw.

Chesterfield were playing neat stuff but had to be patient. Dowson worked a good opening for himself on 20 but shot narrowly wide; Peter Leven was singled out for special tackling as the third ball of the match was dispatched to the neatly-tended gardens of RM10.

The Daggers won the game's first corner on 25, with a cross that cannoned off Hartley. Leven was on hand to head the cross away. Roche made a fine save to deny Griffiths on the half hour, unaware that the flag was being raised for offside. Dowson was causing problems with his pace although he was coming into the centre to do so.

Ward shot on 32 and forced a fine save from Roberts; he followed up but put the rebound into the side netting with team-mates well placed to capitalise on a cross.

Chesterfield took the lead on 38, when WARD took a Lowry cross on his chest and unleashed a fierce shot, which deflected off Barber and away from Roberts' despairing dive.

Southam's powerful shot brought a good stop from Roche as Dagenham tried to hit back quickly. A through ball looked for Benson but he couldn't get past Picken as the ball ran through to Roche, who was limping. Dowson produced a pass through to Ward that deserved a better finish than Jamie was able to produce under pressure as the clock ticked round to half time.

Chesterfield won their first corner of the game in stoppage time; Hawkins won the header from the kick but the second ball was cleared as the whistle went to bring a promising half to a close.

A double halftime substitution saw Dagenham brought Nurse on for Rainford and Sloma on for Smith, in an effort to get back into the game.

Chesterfield confounded the substitutions by extending their lead 24 seconds into the second half. Good Dowson work allowed Lowry to get the ball in for WARD, whose shot was half-stopped but trickled in.

Ward was pole-axed off the ball as Dowson chased a pass into the Daggers half, and required treatment off the pitch. Sloma's shot was saved by Roche at the expense of a corner. Ward came back on just after the kick was cleared, and tried to chip Roberts almost immediately.

Dagenham had their best period of the match so far, and pressed the Spireites back a little, but Roche was in reliable form and Dowson and Ward were providing pacy relief by chasing down clearances.

Roche had occasion to complain about a high Strevens foot. It kicked off after that, with Hawkins going down injured in a Strevens challenge and Roche putting a hand up towards Strevens' face. Strevens was booked, as was Roche, too, after a worrying moment in which the ref fiddled with his red one, as well.

Strevens got a ball over on 63 but Nurse let the thing go under his legs; another attacker had a swish at it and Leven tried a clearance before Downes completed the task. Sloma went in late on Picken on 65. Lloyd Kerry came on for Jamie Lowry. Picken didn't wait long for retribution, clattering Sloma only a minute or two after being caught by the same player. It was a fairly lively, interesting game, for a variety of reasons.

Ward broke through on 70 as Chesterfield looked to reassert themselves, but couldn't get a shot away; Niven recovered it and worked it to Dowson, whose shot went wide. Benson broke into the visitors' box and tried to be clever, hitting it with the outside of his boot; the ball flew embarrassingly wide.

Dagenham threw another striker on on 72, Moore replacing Southam. Hartley found Dowson and his fine shot beat all but the last man, Uddin sticking out a leg to clear off the line. Hawkins sent Dowson free and Huke and Roberts conspired to confound him; Roberts was out his box, though, and only last-ditch stuff prevented Dowson scoring. Leven took the resultant corner but Griffiths was able to clear.

Steve FLETCHER got on to a Leven long-throw to head a simple but clinically-dispatched goal over Roberts and establish an unassailable lead for Chesterfield with eleven minutes left. Kane went in twice on Fletcher in the space of a minute. Ward got onto a Dowson cross but Roberts was able to prevent the lively frontman completing his hat-trick.

Graeme Owens came on for Dowson with nine minutes left, wearing appropriately blue boots, as the visiting fans called for the manager to "give us a wave." Kerry was booked for a foul on 83. Moore's shot scraped the Chesterfield cross bar on 86.

As the end of the game approached Ward tried to chip Roberts but the keeper was equal to the effort.