It was another satisfactory night's work for the Tigers as goals from Geovanni, Dean Windass and Caleb Folan gave them a 3-0 victory at Chesterfield.

Once again, manager Phil Brown used his entire squad during the 90 minutes with just goalkeeper Bo Myhill being given a rest from the action.

As expected, Peter Halmosi started the game and almost made his presence felt after just two minutes. Bernard Mendy's run down the right flank ended with him being bundled over and from the resultant free-kick, the Hungarian rattled the far post with a curling left-footed strike.

It was a sign of things to come as the game opened up in a free-flowing fashion with both sides willing to commit men forward and get themselves on the front foot. In the 15th minute, Chesterfield forced their first corner of the contest but the Tigers dealt with the threat comfortably enough.

On 20 minutes, the home side cleverly switched play and it opened up space for Jamie Ward to have a crack from distance that Matt Duke held onto well. Four minutes later, City won a corner of their own - their third of the evening - and after working a shot routine, Geovanni just failed to connect with Halmosi's cross.

But on the half hour the Brazilian did connect as the Tigers hit the front. The home side gave the ball away needlessly just outside their own box and when Craig Fagan slid a first-time pass into the diminutive striker, he applied a cool finish past Scott Flinders from 12-yards.

On 34 minutes it could have been 2-0 as Mendy twisted and turned inside the Chesterfield box but blasted over with his left foot. City were starting to look increasingly comfortable and three minutes later they doubled their lead.

This time it was Halmosi who was the provider as he got the better of his marker down the left flank, got to the byline and cut the ball back for Dean Windass who tapped home for one of the easiest goals he'll ever score.

HALFTIME: Chesterfield 0  Tigers 2

City boss made six changes at the break with Tony Warner, Caleb Folan, Nathan Doyle, Bryan Hughes, Ian Ashbee and Wayne Brown all being introduced and Matt Duke, Dean Windass, Bernard Mendy, Peter Halmosi, George Boateng and Liam Cooper making way.

Chesterfield made just the two changes before the restart  but then made a further one six minutes into the second period. They also had the first effort of the second half as Ward warmed Warner's hands from distance.

The Tigers hit back almost immediately as Marney's threaded pass found Caleb Folan down the right channel but the former Chesterfield striker's shot was beaten away by Scott Flinders. City then introduced Nick Barmby for Geovanni and fashioned a great opportunity to go three-nil up in the 58th minute. Bryan Hughes' fierce strike from 20-yards was palmed by Flinders straight to the feet of Folan but he somehow managed to sky the ball over the bar with the goal at his mercy.

In the 62nd minute, City made another change with Richard Garcia replacing Fagan. Five minutes later, Ryan France and Nicky Featherstone were also introduced with Ricketts and Marney being withdrawn and then John Welsh completed the substitutions by replacing Turner.

Moments later, Chesterfield almost caught the Tigers out from a set-piece as Jack Lester found plenty of space inside the box after a quickly taken free-kick. He managed to turn Ashbee but Warner produced a terrific save low down to his left to deny the striker.

That could have dragged the home side back into the game, but on 78 minutes it was all over as a contest as City added a third goal. Hughes fed Garcia down the left flank and his cross was met by Folan who this time made no mistake by heading past Flinders to make it 3-0.

By now it was more than comfortable for the Tigers but in the 81st minute Chesterfield came even closer to pulling back a goal of their own as substitute Derek Niven beat Warner from 12-yards, only to see his effort come back off the post.

TIGERS:
Matt Duke (Warner 45mins), Michael Turner (Welsh 71mins), Craig Fagan (Garcia 62mins), Dean Windass (Folan 45mins), Geovanni (Barmby 56mins), Bernard Mendy (Doyle 45mins), Peter Halmosi (Hughes 45mins), George Boateng (Ashbee 45mins), Sam Ricketts (France 67mins), Dean Marney (Featherstone 67mins), Liam Cooper (Brown 45mins).

Subs: Doyle, Brown, Hughes, Garcia, Featherstone, Warner, Ashbee, Barmby, France, Folan, Welsh.

CHESTERFIELD:
Scott Flinders, Phil Picken, Gregor Robertson (Algar 67mins), Jamie Lowry (Hall 51mins), Robert Page, Kevin Austin, Darren Currie, Lloyd Kerry (Niven 45mins), Jamie Winter (Harsley 45mins), Jack Lester (Boden 85mins), Jamie Ward (Jeffery 56mins).

Subs: Jack Jeffery, Derek Niven, Paul Harsley, Danny Hall, Daniel Whatsize, Dan Gray, Ben Algar, Scott Boden.