CHESTERFIELD 2 CITY 4

AT LEAST this time there won't be an EFL inquest.

No mind games were required, no play-acting – there was no question of City rattling the Checkatrade Trophy's 'integrity'.

The goalkeeper swap last night could not have been more genuine as Rouven Sattelmaier limped off clutching his left hamstring.

Colin Doyle had struggled to contain his smirk when the pair made their pre-planned switch against Bury last season. But he was pressed into serious action at Chesterfield when Sattelmaier stayed down after making a clearance.

It was lucky for City that Doyle was at the Proact Stadium in the first place. That was only down to him not making the cut in Martin O'Neill's 25-man squad for the Republic of Ireland World Cup double-header this weekend.

But Doyle remains on stand-by should anything happen to one of their three stoppers in the meantime. City's fingers will be firmly crossed that is not the case – or face a potential keeper crisis.

Sattelmaier's injury was the big blot on an otherwise faith-restoring evening as City showed they could score freely away from home again – and win.

Another four goals made it seven in two games on the road; on this occasion, minus the gut-wrenching finale of Walsall.

But then City do love playing here – this was a fourth win on the bounce on this happiest of hunting grounds.

Alex Jones scored twice after Omari Patrick had equalised and Jacob Hanson, playing as a left back, rounded off the fun with the coolest of finishes to snuff out any danger of another home fightback.

It was all good fun in a competition that remains much-criticised – and continues to take place in front of empty arenas.

The crowd of 1,099 was actually slightly higher than Chesterfield's two Checkatrade home games last season but was boosted by 173 travelling from City.

Stuart McCall made ten changes from the weekend, with Alex Gilliead the only survivor from the starting line-up. The winger looked lively again before making way at half-time, presumably with an eye towards the Bristol Rovers game.

The common-sense relaxing of the selection rules this year meant City still ticked the required boxes. They also gave skipper Romain Vincelot his first outing for three weeks after finishing his red-card ban.

City have never lost at Chesterfield's home of seven years and the Spireites tried to play the generous hosts seven minutes in when Jake McCourt slipped in possession.

He presented Dan Pybus with a clear run on goal but, having rounded keeper Joe Anyon a bit too wide, his angled shot was cleared off the line by Louis Reed.

Vincelot drove narrowly over from 20 yards before Chesterfield got into their stride and Jordan Flores tested Sattelmaier with a thumping effort that the German fisted away.

Kristian Dennis dragged one past the near post but then broke the deadlock after 24 minutes, his angled drive from outside the box proving too powerful for Sattelmaier's dive.

The keeper's night soon ended but City's picked up in the six minutes added for his injury and that of Connor Dimaio, who had been stretchered off earlier.

There was enough time for the Bantams to level, Paul Taylor feeding Patrick from a short corner and the youngster scoring his second senior goal with a well-placed low finish.

The same pair were involved in the second goal 12 minutes after the break. Taylor's cross-field pass found Patrick on the side of the Chesterfield box. He cut in for a shot that spun up nicely for Jones to nod home from close range.

Five minutes later, City were 3-1 up and Jones had a second, leaving Anyon well beaten with a fizzing effort from 25 yards.

Chesterfield raised the ghosts of the Banks's Stadium by narrowing the deficit with another good finish from Lee Sinnott's son Jordan.

But there were no wobbles from the Bantams, who immediately restored their two-goal cushion with a first senior strike from full back Hanson.

He took it well, stroking the ball into the corner after Jones had picked him out, and it capped off an entertaining night that restored the goodwill after the West Midlands collapse.

City may be a long way from the finished article but, with 12 goals in six games in the opening month, it looks like it's not going to be dull watching them.