Torquay United manager Gary Johnson says players were 'warriors' in win against Chesterfield

The Gulls were clinical in front of goal and made life difficult for the Spireites at the other end in torrential rain at the Technique Stadium.

The hosts paid the price for not taking their chances, while Connor Lemonheigh-Evans and Billy Waters took theirs.

George Carline and Adi Yussuf had efforts cleared off the line, while Liam Mandeville headed wide from a couple of yards out.

The wins keeps Johnson’s men, who have now won eight of their last nine, top of the National League table and extends their lead to four points.

The Spireites drop out of the top seven but remain in the play-off race in the final month of the season.

“The boys were courageous, they were like warriors today,” Johnson said.

“It was an unbelievable wind and rain, it was really, really tough conditions, and you have to keep mentally ready and right.

"Two bits of brilliance for the two goals, and the boys knew how to defend when they had to defend.

“Obviously they [Chesterfield] needed to win, so they threw players forward, they threw numbers forward, and we defended it very, very well as a team. There wasn’t that many proper real opportunities, and we had a couple of opportunities at the end when they left us one v one at the back.”

He added: “Credit to the boys. Honestly, the desire and intent in that game, to win the game, to not let a goal in, and to get up the other end to score a goal was fantastic.”