Chasetown’s Scholarship young guns bowed out of the Midland Youth Cup at the quarter final stage with a 4-1 home defeat to Chesterfield.
After a close-run first half the strong visiting side took control over the closing stages, Matt Botley’s 53rd-minute goal for the Scholars providing a little consolation after the hosts had shown plenty of pace and determination.
The Spireites took the lead after just eight minutes when a short corner from the left found Ben Watkis in space and his right-footed shot beat Mark Wiggins in the Chasetown goal.
The home side pushed hard to try and recover the deficit, Max Black going close on two occasions from long range while David Leese and Jack Hulin were working hard in defence, but it was Chesterfield who held a narrow lead at the break.
There was no let-up in the pace of the game in the second half, and on 53 minutes the Scholars were level when Botley burst in from the left and unleashed a right-footed shot past Josh Barrington which pinged in off the post.
The atmosphere among the small but enthusiastic crowd came alive and this spurred the hosts on, Tom Horton heading over the bar and Jack Milgate seeing a shot cleared off the line with Jon Gould another to go close. Soon afterwards, however, the Scholars seemed to lose their rhythm slightly and on 70 minutes left space for Watkis and Jacob Hazel to race through and the latter restored Chesterfield’s lead.
Four minutes later and Chasetown conceded a penalty as the play became more physical, Jordan Burrow firing his side’s third goal past Wiggins from the spot. Black would go close again for the Scholars, but there was no way back and with five minutes on the clock substitute Shaquille McKenzie put the lid on it after outpacing Todd Evans to slide the ball home at the near post.
Chasetown: Wiggins, Evans, Leese, Black, Hulin, Horton, Robinson (Hardiman), Westwood (Degville), Botley (Turner), Milgate, Gould. Not used: Archer, Pearce.
Chesterfield: Barrington, Edridge, Handbury, Beaglehole (Wall), Palmer, Needham, Wright (Dickinson), Watkis, Burrow, Hazel (McKenzie), Waddle. Not used: Dennis, Hibbert.
