Chesterfield's encouraging festive form faced its biggest challenge yet at Barnet this afternoon. Phil Picken's ankle rendered him unfit to travel so Adam Rooney came in, with Jamie Lowry moving to right-back. Jamie Ward's tight hamstring was rested to the bench, and Steve Fletcher replaced him. Felix Bastians made it as far back as the bench after his injury in the Mansfield win. Barnet's recent home form was the same as Chesterfield's, going into the game. Liam Hatch continued for them despite his pending move to Peterborough, while skipper Ismael Yakubu missed the game through suspension.

Chesterfield kicked off with the slope in their favour. Leary was called for a foul on Lester on 4 but Winter's free kick found Lester offside. In the game's first chance after a scrappy opening, Hatch had a free header from a free kick on 8 but his contact was poor and Roche was able to palm his effort away.

Leven found Robertson in the box on 20 and his shot was blocked by the arm, it seemed, of Bishop, but play continued. Chesterfield took the lead a minute later when Lester helped on Fletcher's flick and ROONEY timed his run to finish with aplomb from twelve yards.

Leary was yellow-carded for a badly-timed challenge on Niven on the half hour. Chesterfield won the game's first corner soon after, when the ball was cleared as Lester tried to make it to a Fletcher flick. Winter's flag kick towards Kovacs was cleared off the line by Nicolau. Lester went down under a challenge in the box on 31 but was judged to have dived, and was booked, ruling him out of the game against Grimsby next week.

A Puncheon shot was safely dealt with by Roche on 42 as Barnet began to enjoy possession and attack with conviction for the first time. Lester took the ball away as the Spireites broke three on three but Bishop raced back to hold things up.

Halftime: Bees 0 Spireites 1

Barnet brought Anthony Thomas on for Hatch at halftime. The pacy forward was playing for place, with Hatch's imminent departure, and put pressure on Downes from the kick-off. Downes headed a Puncheon cross away as the Bees swarmed down the slope. Devera headed behind for a corner that Leven took; Kovacs' header went into the arms of the keeper Harrison.

Kovacs did well to take the ball of Thomas as Barnet broke on 50 but the home side kept up the impetus and it came to Bishop, who cut in and shot narrowly wide. O'Cearuill cleared in his own six-yard box from Leven on 55. Birchall attempted to take the ball past Kovacs and to the byeline but the powerful Hungarian stuck out a leg, timed it right and won a goal kick.

Devera's tackle on Lester conceded Chesterfield's third corner of the game on 57, but Harrison collected it with comfort. Barnet went long on 58 and Birchall's shot was deflected over for the home side's first corner of the game, which was cleared for a throw.

The Spireites struggled to clear a ball on the edge of their box on the hour and Barnet sought to work a chance, but the visitors cleared; however, it kept on coming back in what was Barnet's best spell of the game.

Leven picked up Gillet's poor pass and broke, finding Robertson, who shot wide on 63. Barnet were pushing up and attacking with purpose but the chance of a Chesterfield break was a nagging threat: everyone stopped for offside against Lester and Jack continued to slot the ball home, but the flag did eventually go up against the division's second-top scorer. Puncheon cut in on Birchall's cross and Downes, facing his own goal, had to clear cleverly.

Rooney broke onto Winter's pass and found Lester, who slotted home, but the offside flag again denied him. Straight away, Ward came on for Lester, with 67 on the clock. Birchall took it into the area and found Nicolau, whose shot was deflected and cleared. Gillet found Birchall who went down on the edge of the area, but the referee waved play on. Lester, previously booked for diving, will have watched with interest. Porter's shot on 71 flew wide as the Spireites goal began to enjoy a charmed life. Carew replaced Leary on 72.

Birchall shot across the face of goal with Roche flat-footed on 74. Chesterfield withstood the pressure and won their fourth corner on 79. Fletcher went up with goalie Harrison, who dropped the ball: KOVACS was first to it, and crashed the ball home off the crossbar to extend Chesterfield's lead and knock the stuffing out of Barnet's fightback.