CHESTERFIELD manager Jack Lester was thrilled to give his side’s survival hopes a shot in the arm with a 2-1 win at home to Swindon Town on Saturday.

The second-from-bottom Spireites had lost their previous four games but got off to a dream start at the Proact Stadium when Chris O’Grady pounced on slack play in the Town box to break the deadlock inside two minutes.

Andy Kellett made it 2-0 early in the second half and although Chris Robertson’s header brought Town back into it, Chesterfield held on.

Although his side remain in the relegation zone, Lester was pleased to finally start picking up some momentum again.

Lester told Chesterfield’s official website: “I thought the performance was OK. We managed to get ourselves ahead and after that we spoke about getting the second goal and we got that,” said Lester.

“We managed the game quite well after that, and it was important that at times we took the sting out of the game. The win was the most important thing.

“I thought we started really brightly, we were on the front foot and landed on the seconds really well, got ourselves ahead and that was important.

“It’s good for confidence when you get ahead and it gives the lads belief, and belief will be a key part for the run-in.”

The Spireites remain five points adrift of safety but the victory over Town, coupled with results elsewhere, allowed them to gain crucial ground on their rivals at the bottom.

Lester added: “Port Vale didn’t win and Grimsby Town lost, and we won which is the main thing. Teams around us won, but we’ve pulled Grimsby in by three points and Port Vale by two, so it’s a good day.”