Burton dig deep to edge out Chesterfield
Burton stretched their lead at the top of the League One table to seven points with a scrappy 1-0 win at home to relegation strugglers Chesterfield.
Midfielder Calum Butcher's fourth goal of the season separated the sides as Nigel Clough's men stole a march on their title rivals ahead of Saturday's games.
The first half was marred by an injury to Chesterfield's Liam O'Neil that resulted in a six-minute hold-up.
The full-back was struck on the head by a fierce Stuart Beavon shot and had to be treated on the pitch by medical staff before being taken to the dressing room on a stretcher.
A tame opening half looked set for a goalless stalemate but Butcher broke the deadlock - in time added for O'Neil's injury - when he turned neatly onto Mark Duffy's cross before finding the bottom corner from 10 yards.
Gboly Ariyibi fired inches over as the Spireites tried to prevent a fourth successive defeat, but only a deflection denied Mason Bennett a second goal for the hosts before Duffy was thwarted by Dion Donohue almost on the line.
Source: PA
