Match ends, Chesterfield 1, Walsall 0.
ChesterfieldChesterfield1WalsallWalsall0
Sam Hird's late header kept Chesterfield in the play-off picture and left Walsall in the scrap for League One survival.
The home team had the first chance through Ollie Banks's header, before Walsall's Jordan Cook shot wide from 20 yards.
The Saddlers twice hit the woodwork after the interval but Hird settled a scrappy contest four minutes from time.
Jimmy Ryan's corner found Hird unmarked and he headed inside O'Donnell's post.
Chesterfield sit ninth in the League One table, two points off the play-off places, while Walsall are now just three points above the relegation zone.
Chesterfield manager Paul Cook told BBC Radio Sheffield:
"Football's a tough world. It wasn't a good game and it was a tough game for supporters to watch.
"Walsall probably deserved a draw for their organisation and their work ethic, but sometimes you don't get what you deserve. We were victims of that last weekend at Peterborough.
"My players might disappoint in certain aspects, but they don't disappoint in honesty and effort, and that was there in abundance today."
Line-ups
Chesterfield
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Lee
- 2Darikwa
- 23Evatt
- 4Hird
- 25Talbot
- 24BanksSubstituted forAriyibiat 62'minutes
- 5Morsy
- 10O'SheaSubstituted forHarrisonat 69'minutes
- 8RyanBooked at 52mins
- 11RobertsSubstituted forDieseruvweat 70'minutes
- 12Clucas
Substitutes
- 6Carter
- 15Humphreys
- 16Raglan
- 18Harrison
- 26Dieseruvwe
- 28Ariyibi
- 32Flatt
Walsall
Formation 4-4-2
- 1O'Donnell
- 2Purkiss
- 4O'Connor
- 15Chambers
- 3Taylor
- 8Mantom
- 27FordeSubstituted forCainat 62'minutes
- 11BaxendaleSubstituted forBenningat 61'minutes
- 7ChambersSubstituted forFlanaganat 81'minutes
- 30Hiwula-Mayifuila
- 21Cook
Substitutes
- 6Downing
- 12Cain
- 13MacGillivray
- 14Benning
- 17Flanagan
- 24Grimes
- 29Murphy
- Referee:
- Kevin Friend
- Attendance:
- 6,358
Match Stats
Home TeamChesterfieldAway TeamWalsall
- Possession
- Home56%
- Away44%
- Shots
- Home9
- Away9
- Shots on Target
- Home2
- Away0
- Corners
- Home13
- Away3
- Fouls
- Home8
- Away9
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Chesterfield 1, Walsall 0.
Post update
Corner, Chesterfield. Conceded by Jordan Cook.
Post update
Gboly Ariyibi (Chesterfield) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Post update
Foul by Malvind Benning (Walsall).
Post update
Foul by Sam Morsy (Chesterfield).
Post update
Reece Flanagan (Walsall) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Goal!
Goal! Chesterfield 1, Walsall 0. Sam Hird (Chesterfield) header from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Jimmy Ryan with a cross following a corner.
Post update
Corner, Chesterfield. Conceded by Ben Purkiss.
Post update
Byron Harrison (Chesterfield) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Foul by James O'Connor (Walsall).
Post update
Attempt missed. Jordy Hiwula-Mayifuila (Walsall) right footed shot from a difficult angle on the right is close, but misses to the right.
Substitution
Substitution, Walsall. Reece Flanagan replaces Adam Chambers.
Post update
Gboly Ariyibi (Chesterfield) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Post update
Foul by Sam Mantom (Walsall).
Post update
Gboly Ariyibi (Chesterfield) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Malvind Benning (Walsall).
Post update
Corner, Chesterfield. Conceded by Andy Taylor.
Post update
Byron Harrison (Chesterfield) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Post update
Foul by Andy Taylor (Walsall).
