Chesterfield 3-0 Boreham Wood: Spireites seal promotion back to Football League

Chesterfield confirmed their inevitable promotion back to the English Football League with a comfortable victory over Boreham Wood - which also sealed the National League title.

Chesterfield keeper Harry Tyrer had to make an excellent early save from Tom Whelan's free-kick but the hosts took the lead in the 28th minute when captain Grimes headed home Mandeville's corner from near the penalty spot.

It was 2-0 less than a minute into the second half as Mandeville tucked away Armando Dobra's cross and the 9,907-strong crowd were treated to a 100th league goal of Chesterfield's season when the impressive Dobra teed up Grimes to score his second of the game.

Struggling Wood could find no response and as the five added minutes expired, the celebrations could begin.

• Oxford City relegated after defeat at Fylde

Paul Cook's side went top on 16 September and have remained there ever since in an utterly dominant campaign, becoming champions with five games to spare to return to the EFL after six seasons away.

In contrast to last year's title race in the fifth tier, between Wrexham and Notts County, this season's has been a total procession.

Chesterfield, whose 97-year spell as a Football League club ended in 2018, were 22 points clear at the top on 6 February before going on a run of three games without a victory - their longest winless run of the season.

They ended that sequence with a 2-0 win at Barnet on 27 February to move 20 points ahead of the chasing pack, and leave promotion a near-certainty with two months of the season still to play - though recent dropped points against Halifax and Oldham has meant Spireites fans have had to be a bit patient.

Will Grigg's back on fire

Their return to League Two will vindicate manager Cook's decision to return to the club in 2022.

The former Portsmouth and Wigan boss had guided the club to the League Two title and a finish in the League One play-off places during his first spell in charge between 2012 and 2015.

However, it was something of a surprise when he returned in February 2022, just two months after being sacked as manager of Ipswich, then in League One.

Chesterfield finished third last season but nearly pulled off a shock in the promotion final at Wembley when they twice led against Notts, who had finished 23 points ahead of them in the regular season, before ultimately losing on penalties.

After three successive seasons of play-off heartache, they strengthened in the summer, with the signings of experienced Northern Ireland international striker Will Grigg and ex-Pompey and Latics defender Tom Naylor key additions in their bid for automatic promotion.

Grigg, 32, who had worked with Cook at Wigan, has scored 25 goals in 38 league games, having managed just 16 league goals across the previous four seasons combined.

Hopes will be high that the club could be in a position to emulate the success of Wrexham, who are in the mix for an automatic promotion spot in the fourth tier, and looking to secure successive promotions up to League One.

'Chesterfield after 100 points' - analysis

Paul Fisher, BBC Radio Sheffield commentator

Following Chesterfield's heart-breaking loss at Wembley last season, Cook grabbed all of his players and coaching staff into a huddle to administer some words that have been largely kept in-house.

Some of the targets have slipped out from what has been a largely confined dressing room, and what was said from day one was that Chesterfield are after 100 goals and 100 points. Whatever was said has galvanised a squad and a club.

Consistency in results has been key for the Spireites this season, as three times in league and cup this season, Chesterfield have won seven games in a row. When they have rarely slipped up, the determination has been to go on another run of wins.

They have broken a club record of 27 wins in a league season, set in the 1969-70 season, which was a Fourth Division title-winning side.

Cook made seven signings in the summer, including former Wigan players Grigg and Michael Jacobs - players with whom he had won the League One title in 2018, just as Chesterfield were leaving their 97-year stay in the Football League behind in limp fashion.

But it took the return of Cook to wrestle with a squad that he wanted to fashion into his own to get the North Derbyshire side into this position.

Match details supplied by PA Media.