HUDDERSFIELD Town duo Alan Lee and Jimmy Spencer were both on target as Town chalked their first senior win of pre-season, 3-0 against League II JPT Trophy winners Chesterfield.
Lee pounced after eight minutes and Spencer on 23, while substitute Jordan Sinnott rounded off the scoring three minutes from time..
Boss Simon Grayson opted for a 4-4-2 formation as Town looked for a first goal in three games.
Antony Kay – who is being strongly linked with a possible move to MK Dons – captained the side and lined up in central midfield alongside Anton Robinson with Scott Arfield on the right wing, playing his first match of pre-season after recovering from the ankle injury he first suffered in the first leg of last season’s play-off semi-final against MK Dons.
Spencer and Lee were partnered up front, leaving Jordan Rhodes, Lee Novak and Sean Scannell to feature against Barcelona B at the John Smith’s Stadium tonight (7.45).
Kallum Higginbotham was on the left against a Chesterfield line-up including former Town loan man Neal Trotman and the experienced Terrell Forbes.
Scotland Under 21 call-up Murray Wallace partnered Jamie McCombe at the centre of defence on a pristine B2net Stadium pitch.
Town were first to threaten in only the second minute when Lee tested keeper Tommy Lee with a looping header from Higginbotham’s free kick.
And the Irishman didn’t have to wait long to register after an excellent flowing attack.
Spencer provided the opening with a lovely pass inside the left-back to release Arfield and, when his curling shot rattled back off the far upright, Higginbotham kept his cool to tee-up Lee for a 10-yard left-foot finish.
Click on the link below for a gallery of last night's game featuring match action as well as pictures of Town's Manchester City triallist and shots of the crowd who made the journey
Town continued to control the first half and, other than a long-range Mark Randall effort which was well off target, the defence were having a stroll, with Arfield proving his fitness with a crunching challenge on Forbes.
Grayson’s side continued to probe and, in the 23rd minute, they went two ahead. Arfield was again involved, finding space and providing a clever cross which was met with perfect timing by Spencer, who directed a gliding header into Lee’s unguarded right hand corner.
Chesterfield responded with their best attack, Drew Talbot setting up Marc Richards for a shot blocked by McCombe before Sam Togwell’s 20-yard curling follow-up was inches off target with Ian Bennett scrambling to cover.
Danny Whitaker fired straight at Bennett on the home side’s next attack, but Spencer wasted a great chance to put Town three ahead on 42 minutes, blasting over after neat build-up work from Higginbotham and Lee.
Grayson made three changes on 57 minutes, taking off McCombe, Arfield and Kay and sending on Sinnott, Chris Atkinson and trialist Scott Kay, a former Manchester City Academy player.
That was shortly after Talbot had a powerful header blocked in the Town six-yard box from Whitaker’s cross as Wallace looked cool and collected.
The Scot and his colleagues had a scare on 63, however, as Whitaker broke down the right, but Bennett produced a superb double save to deny him and Craig Westcarr, who was smartly onto the rebound.
It proved the last moment of worry for Town, who completed the scoring on 87 minutes when Sinnott latched onto a raking through ball from Higginbotham and controlled nicely before finishing from close range.
Chesterfield – Lee, Talbot, Forbes, Togwell (Lester 81), Trotman (Clay 89), Hird, Randall (Allott 57), Westcarr (Hazel 81), Richards (Boden 64), Bowery (Darikwa HT), Whitaker. Subs: O’Donnell, Wafula.
Town – Bennett, T Clarke, McCombe (S Kay 57) , Wallace, Ridehalgh, Arfield (Atkinson 57), A Kay (Sinnott 57), Robinson, Higginbotham, Spencer, Lee (Crooks 74). Subs: Allinson, Loftus, Leonard.
