Chesterfield 1-0 Walsall

Sam Hird scored for only the second time this season

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:

Media playback is not supported on this device

Cook on Chesterfield v Walsall

"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
• Match Stats
• Live Text

Line-ups

Chesterfield

• 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

• 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

Posted at

Match ends, Chesterfield 1, Walsall 0.

Full Time

Posted at 90'+5'

Second Half ends, Chesterfield 1, Walsall 0.

Posted at 90'+2'

Corner, Chesterfield. Conceded by Jordan Cook.

Posted at 90'+1'

Gboly Ariyibi (Chesterfield) wins a free kick on the right wing.

Posted at 90'+1'

Foul by Malvind Benning (Walsall).

Posted at 88'

Foul by Sam Morsy (Chesterfield).

Posted at 88'

Reece Flanagan (Walsall) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Goal!

Posted at 86'

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.

Posted at 85'

Corner, Chesterfield. Conceded by Ben Purkiss.

Posted at 83'

Byron Harrison (Chesterfield) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 83'

Foul by James O'Connor (Walsall).

Posted at 82'

Attempt missed. Jordy Hiwula-Mayifuila (Walsall) right footed shot from a difficult angle on the right is close, but misses to the right.

Substitution

Posted at 81'

Substitution, Walsall. Reece Flanagan replaces Adam Chambers.

Posted at 79'

Gboly Ariyibi (Chesterfield) wins a free kick on the right wing.

Posted at 79'

Foul by Sam Mantom (Walsall).

Posted at 78'

Gboly Ariyibi (Chesterfield) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 78'

Foul by Malvind Benning (Walsall).

Posted at 77'

Corner, Chesterfield. Conceded by Andy Taylor.

Posted at 77'

Byron Harrison (Chesterfield) wins a free kick on the right wing.

Posted at 77'

Foul by Andy Taylor (Walsall).

Posted at 70'

Foul by Gboly Ariyibi (Chesterfield).

Posted at 70'

Jordan Cook (Walsall) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Substitution

Posted at 70'

Substitution, Chesterfield. Emmanuel Dieseruvwe replaces Gary Roberts.

Substitution

Posted at 69'

Substitution, Chesterfield. Byron Harrison replaces Jay O'Shea.

Posted at 67'

James Chambers (Walsall) hits the bar with a header from the centre of the box following a corner.

Posted at 66'

Corner, Walsall. Conceded by Sam Hird.

Posted at 66'

Attempt missed. Malvind Benning (Walsall) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right.

Posted at 63'

Attempt missed. Drew Talbot (Chesterfield) right footed shot from the centre of the box is high and wide to the right following a corner.

Posted at 63'

Corner, Chesterfield. Conceded by James Chambers.

Substitution

Posted at 62'

Substitution, Chesterfield. Gboly Ariyibi replaces Oliver Banks because of an injury.

Substitution

Posted at 62'

Substitution, Walsall. Michael Cain replaces Anthony Forde.

Substitution

Posted at 61'

Substitution, Walsall. Malvind Benning replaces James Baxendale.

Posted at 59'

Corner, Chesterfield. Conceded by James Baxendale.

Posted at 58'

Corner, Chesterfield. Conceded by James Chambers.

Posted at 58'

Attempt blocked. Sam Hird (Chesterfield) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.

Posted at 57'

Corner, Chesterfield. Conceded by James O'Connor.

Posted at 54'

Attempt missed. Ian Evatt (Chesterfield) header from the centre of the box is too high.

Posted at 54'

Corner, Chesterfield. Conceded by Sam Mantom.

Posted at 54'

Attempt blocked. Jimmy Ryan (Chesterfield) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.

Booking

Posted at 52'

Jimmy Ryan (Chesterfield) is shown the yellow card.

Show more updates