Stockport moved closer to safety with a vital 3-0 win in their relegation clash against Chesterfield at Saltergate which also saw the home side end the match with 10 players.
Injuries to Steve Blatherwick and sub Jamie Fullarton made it a miserable afternoon for the Spireites, who also had Ian Evatt booked for decent.
It was the central defender’s 10th yellow card and he will now serve a two-match ban which could prove costly.
Manager Roy McFarland revealed afterwards that both Blatherwick, who has an ankle injury, and Fullerton, knee damage, could miss the rest of the season.
For Stockport, the picture is much brighter after they stretched their unbeaten run to seven games.
A fortuitous free-kick from Rickie Lambert, whose effort from 25 yards took a big deflection off the wall, gave them a fifth minute lead and they lived dangerously after that.
Chesterfield were denied by goalkeeper Anthony Williams who made several vital saves before Jon Daly got the second in the 36th minute when Aaron Wilbraham pulled the ball back to him from the right.
Chesterfield's defending was poor on that occasion and another mistake at the back allowed the visitors to wrap the match up in the 53rd minute.
Gus Uhlenbeek was badly caught in possession close to goal and Danny Jackman put a left foot shot from eight yards past Carl Muggleton.
Chesterfield rarely threatened to mount a revival after that as Stockport played keep ball.
But the visitors could have been reduced to 10 men when defender John Hardiker caught Blatherwick off the ball just before the break.
Although the referee consulted his linesman, he only showed a yellow card to Hardiker while Blatherwick was carried to the treatment room on a stretcher.