Rotherham United Women 0-3 Chesterfield Ladies

Three second-half goals from Chesterfield left Rotherham United Women with an impossible mountain to climb as they suffered a setback in their penultimate home league game.

The Millers came close to scoring on several occasions but couldn’t quite breach a dogged visiting defence.

Chesterfield have proved a tough nut to crack all season, losing just 3 out of 17 league games, and they went home with the three points after a clutch of clinical finishes and yet another clean sheet.

For the Millers’ part, they were left to regret individual errors and not quite turning a first-half purple patch into goals.

Halima Essa threatened to put the Millers ahead after using strength and skill to forge an opening, but fired wide, and Jessie Broadhurst came agonisingly close to meeting one particularly inviting cross from the right.

It was rightly all square at the break but the visitors marched into an unassailable lead within 15 minutes of the restart.

Top scorer Imogen Fowler seized on a loose ball on 51 minutes before shooting clinically across Katrina Parsons and Millie Standen, felled in the box, picked herself up to slot home the resulting spot kick.

Fowler later added a third after the Millers defence was left flat-footed by a crossfield ball.

Chesterfield still had to survive a few scares as the Millers maintained their intensity and pushed for a goal.

Rachel Hale and Amy Nowell both cleared the crossbar and a miscued clearance sparked a goalmouth scramble.

At the other end, only a last-ditch tackle from Lori-Anne Tart kept the visitors out. Ultimately, the Millers were left to reflect on losing out on the fine margins and will now turn their attention to the final home match-up of the season next Sunday, when Ilkeston Town come to Roundwood.

Millers v Chesterfield: Katrina Parsons, Dina Sarayreh, Abbie Staples, Amy Nowell, Sidni Simmons, Lauren Winter, Rachel Hale, Milly Colford, Jessie Broadhurst, Delia Hurdiss, Jess Jones. Subs: Lucie Thompson, Halima Essa, Lori-Anne Tart.