Cambridge United fought back to beat Chesterfield 2-1 in tricky conditions at the Cambs Glass Stadium.

Jevani Brown’s second half equaliser after Kristian Dennis had given the visitors the lead, inspired United on to a gritty win with Uche Ikpeazu adding the winning goal.

An unchanged U’s side were on to the front foot early in the encounter as George Maris, who had excelled in the midweek clash with Yeovil, tested Chesterfield keeper Joe Anyon with an early shot.

Anyon was picking the ball out of his net on 17 minutes, however referee John Busby chalked off the effort from Piero Mingoia due to a foul on the Spireites shot stopper earlier in the play.

The U’s best chance fell to Jabo Ibehre midway through the first half, after Jevani Brown had robbed Chesterfield of possession high up the pitch before playing a superb through ball to the big striker, who could only curl his shot over the bar.

Uche Ikpeazu sprayed an excellent ball out to the right to find Mingoia in space minutes before half time, and the diminutive winger struck a perfect half volley which forced Anyon to tip the ball over his bar. Brown poked wide from the resulting corner and the game remained goalless at the break.

However, it was the Spireites who broke the deadlock seven minutes after half time, when Kristian Dennis was in a perfect position to tap in from a pass across the six yard box by substitute Matt Briggs against the run of play.

United responded with a double substitution as Medy Elito and Harrison Dunk took to the field shortly after the hour mark and minutes later they were level. Brown registered his first goal for the Club as he judged the strong winds perfectly to lift the ball over Anyon with a free kick wide on the right.

The equaliser was United’s shot in the arm and they soon barraged the Chesterfield 18 yard box, with Uche Ikpeazu firing wide on 67 minutes following a trademark run in possession of the ball.

Elito too came close with a powerfully struck mid-range effort which nestled into the Newmarket Road End rather than the back of the net.

However, the winning goal came on 76 minutes when Ikpeazu was in the right place at the right time to finish after a parried stop by Anyon, who had denied Jevani Brown a spectacular second goal moments earlier.

The win completed a fine week for the U’s in Sky Bet League Two, taking seven points from a possible nine to move within touching distance of the top seven.

Cambridge United: Forde, Halliday, Legge, Taylor, Carroll, Mingoia (Elito, 62 mins), Deegan, Maris (Dunk, 62 mins), Brown, Ikpeazu, Ibehre

Chesterfield: Anyon, Hird, Wiseman (Briggs, 51 mins), Evatt, Dennis, Rowley, Flores, Kellett (Dimaio, 56 mins), Reed, Barry, Weir (Di Girolamo, 84 mins)

Vindis Man of the Match: Jevani Brown

Attendance: 4,529 (422)