Chesterfield 3-6 Colchester

Chesterfield's return to Division Two turned into a nightmare as they were thrashed by Colchester.

Basic defensive errors allowed the visitors to go goal crazy as the Spireites suffered their heaviest home league defeat since 1976.

Colchester's Joe Dunne hit a great strike in the ninth minute but Roger Willis equalised with a header 60 seconds later.

An own goal by Martin Booty on his debut restored the visitors' lead.

Mick Stockwell lashed in Colchester's third goal in the 37th minute but Luke Beckett kept Chesterfield in the match with a header two minutes after the break.

Kevin Rapley restored Colchester's two-goal advantage within a minute with a fierce left-foot strike before Steve Payne hit an unstoppable 25-yard free-kick to keep the game in the balance.

Scott McLeish made it 5-3 to Colchester with a near-post flick in the 62nd minute and grabbed their sixth goal 12 minutes from the end with another cool finish.

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Chesterfield: Abbey, Breckin, Blatherwick, Payne, Edwards, Booty, Ebdon, Williams, Rowland, Willis, Beckett. Subs: Richmond, Ingledow, Reeves, Pearce, Rushbury.

Colchester: Woodman, Clark, Gregory, Fitzgerald, Dunne, Pinault, Izzet, Stockwell, Gavin Johnson, Rapley, McGleish. Subs: Brown, Bowry, Duguid, Keith, Morgan.

Referee: G Cain (Bootle)