WYCOMBE secured only their third away victory of the season with a battling performance and a good finish from rejuvenated Devine on Tuesday night.

On a cold evening in a blistering wind, the two sides scrapped and battled in what was a fairly uneventful first half an hour.

Jamie Burt had an early chance, curling his effort in, but it was safe for Martin Taylor in the Wycombe goal.

Darren Currie, Wycombe's brightest player at the start, caused Chesterfield some problems with his quick feet, one effort grazing the roof of the net.

Dannie Bulman and Michael Simpson were strong for Wycombe in midfield, but Burt, leading the Spirites' attack, looked increasingly strong and saw his best effort of the half rattle the Wycombe woodwork after beating Taylor.

As the first period progressed, the game came to life and it was mostly the home side on the offensive as Burt and his compatriots continued to probe.

A string of corners at the end of the half put Wycombe under strong pressure but the again impressive partnership of Roger Johnson and Mark Rogers held out and managed to scramble the ball away and it was Wycombe who greeted the half-time whistle with a sigh of relief.

The second half started much as the first had finished with Chesterfield's live wire Burt again causing problems with two early chances.

Just five minutes in the home side started to look even more dangerous and it was Currie who managed to get his body in the way of a blasted effort from midfielder Edwards.

But against the run of play, on 52 minutes, Taylor's route one free kick floated in the wind over the bamboozled Chesterfield defence for born-again Sean Devine to finish with ease and put Wycombe ahead.

The goal gave Wycombe a needed boost of confidence and Danny Senda and scorer Devine linked up well on the right to cause Chesterfield further problems.

The first change came when fit-again Andy Baird replaced Stuart Roberts and straight away got stuck in to boost his claim for a hotly contested place in the Wycombe front line.

Chesterfield continued to work Wycombe and substitute Glyn Hurst, after picking up a flick-on from Burt, drove his effort straight down Taylor's throat. As Chesterfield started to look dangerous again, Wycombe made the last two of their three substitutions with the addition of little Martyn Lee and the evergreen Keith Ryan to hold out the home side's efforts.

Burt, who had threatened the Wycombe defence all game, had two more chances but fortunately for the huddled away fans, couldn't make them count. Taylor's goal was under bombardment as the game came to a close, but the Wycombe lead could have been extended on the break with Senda and Devine leading a counter attack and forcing a corner, with the Chesterfield defence on the back foot.

Four long minutes were added by referee Laws and again it was Burt harassing the Wycombe defence right at the death, beating Taylor only to see his effort trickle wide.

Chesterfield: Abbey, Booty (Hurst 64), Breckin, Payne, O'Hare, Innes, Ebdon, Edwards, Howard, Burt, Allott. Not used: Willis, Parrish, Williams, Richmond.

Wycombe: Taylor, Senda, Johnson, Rogers, Vinnicombe, Brown (Lee 69), Simpson, Bulman, Currie (Ryan 72), Devine, Roberts (Baird 60).

Attendance: 3,654 (Wycombe 150)

February 14, 2002 13:38