Number 17 for Joe Allon - and what a solo effort it was!

Joe Allon goes in for a brave header with a Chesterfield player pressing hard.

But Pools had one defender in particular to thank for the 2-0 victory as it was John MacPhail who remained strong when the home team got off to a nervous start.

Chesterfield, who had a string of players unavailable including their two main strikers as well as captain Bryn Gunn, still took the game to Pools.

They forced two early corners and Calvin Plummer found himself free for a shot, but fired it wide.

As the visitors continued to press, Jamie Hewitt sent a superb long ball through for John Cooke to chase but it was MacPhail who got there first to clear the danger.

Gradually, though, the tide turned and Paul Baker and Allon both went close.

Then, Steve Tupling delivered a dangerous corner which Baker headed on to Bennyworth whose touch sent the ball whistling past the post.

Luckless Chesterfield suffered more bad news when Sean Dyche went down heavily after a challenge and had to be helped from the field with damage to his left foot.

It was all adding up to Pools taking control of the game and it paid off on 29 minutes when Nobbs knocked the ball forward to the striker just inside the Chesterfield half.

Allon was unmarked and raced forward with only keeper Leonard to beat. The keeper raced off his line but Allon struck it so hard, the keeper had no chance.

The second half saw more Pools pressure and Paul Dalton was at the centre of most of it. He beat Hewitt and Williams on the left and took on the shot itself, only for it to sail just over the bar.

Then, he went close again when he and Leonard clashed inside the Chesterfield area.

But then Pools put themselves in total control and it came from a free kick.

Rob McKinnon took it and it reached Tupling who scored only his second goal of the season. His first had been against Chesterfield on the opening day of the season.

Chesterfield were spurred into action and sub Benjamin went closest with a run which took him all the way to the Pools box.

But keeper Cox was there to thwart the danger.

At the other end, young winger Neil Heaney, on loan from Arsenal, looked a threat as he took on players and he went close to scoring on his debut as a Pools sub.

But his shot was well saved by the Chesterfield keeper. Still, more than 2,000 Pools fans went home happy.