Defender Zach Awe scored a superb first league goal as Accrington Stanley secured a stunning 3-0 win over promotion-chasing Chesterfield.

The Spireites hadn’t lost at home in the league this season - and Stanley had only one away win this campaign - but goals from Josh Woods, Awe and Jimmy Knowles sealed a celebrated victory as the Reds moved towards mid-table.

Both Josh Woods and Knowles enjoyed tap-ins while Southampton loan defender Awe’s goal was the pick of the bunch, finishing a move he started for the all-important second goal.

Jake Batty and Shaun Whalley missed the game through injury while Donald Love was suspended which meant Ben Woods, Josh Woods and Connor O’Brien came into the starting line-up.

Chesterfield had to make a switch in the warm-up with keeper Max Thompson injured and Ryan Boot coming in.

Stanley started well and, following a collision between Boot and Josh Woods, the ball fell to O’Brien in the third minute with the Spireites clearing his strike off the line.

Chesterfield boss Paul Cook, former Stanley player and manager, was booked for protesting when his side weren’t awarded a penalty for handball in a lively opening 10 minutes.

Stanley took the lead on 18 minutes when Boot pushed out a superb Ben Woods free kick and in-form Josh Woods pounced to tap home from close range. It was his fourth goal in his last five appearances.

Chesterfield looked to get back in it and Devan Tanton’s close range shot was blocked by Awe.

Dara Costelloe’s strike from 18 yards curled wide while a James Berry free kick was straight into the arms of Billy Crellin.

Tanton had a huge chance to equalise in added time in the first half when a quick free kick sent him clean through but Crellin was immense in keeping out his strike.

Knowles came on at half-time for the presumed injured goalscorer Josh Woods.

The Spireites came out on the front foot, forcing a number of set-pieces around the Reds box with Ollie Banks firing wide from one while Berry had a dipping shot tipped over the crossbar.

However Awe then produced his moment of brilliance on 65 minutes. He started the move, evaded a number of challenges, played a one-two with Costelloe and continued running into the area to slide the ball home to celebrate with the travelling 200+ Stanley fans.

Four minutes later and it was 3-0. Tyler Walton’s ball in was an easy tap-in for Knowles, with Chesterfield appealing for off-side and a foul by Walton in the build-up.

Cook made four attacking substitutes and Crellin tipped away a Liam Mandeville shot while they played in a number of tricky crosses for Stanley to defend.

The Reds though proved tough to get past and kept a fourth clean sheet in six games.

Stanley: Crellin, Awe, Rawson, Aljofree, O’Brien, B Woods, Coyle, Khumbeni (Conneely), J Woods (Knowles), Costelloe, Walton

Subs: Kelly, Henderson, Pickles, Popoola, Hunter

Yellow: Aljofree, Coyle, Walton