By Gregg Davies @ the b2net Stadium

Hereford United endured a day to forget at Chesterfield, suffering their first league defeat of the season in an emphatic fashion having seen their team bus break down en route.

Midfielder Dan Whitaker helped himself to a hat-trick, the first from the penalty spot and second via a wicked deflection, before Simon Ford completed the rout from a corner.

However, Hereford will look back on Ryan Valentine's saved penalty early in the second half - after goalkeeper Tommy Lee had controversially only seen yellow after upending Mathieu Manset - as a key turning point.

Kenny Lunt came in for the injured O'Neil Thompson in United's only change from the goalless draw against Gillingham.

And it was the visitors who made the brighter start, with a James McQuilkin corner finding former Spireite Janos Kovacs at the far post, only for the Bulls' skipper to fire off target.

Chesterfield soon found their feet, with prolific marksman Jack Lester pulling the ball back to Whitaker, whose shot on the turn was tipped behind by goalkeeper Adam Bartlett.

From the resulting corner, the hosts were handed an early breakthrough. Sean Canham was harshly penalised for holding inside the penalty area, allowing Whitaker to expertly net into the top corner from 12 yards.

The Bulls battled back, with a pinpoint Joe Colbeck cross picking out Manset, who forced Lee to palm the ball over the crossbar.

McQuilkin could only shoot high and wide of the target after latching onto Stuart Fleetwood's lay-off.

But Hereford should have hauled themselves level soon after, with Colbeck racing half the length of the field before failing to find either of the unmarked Manset or Fleetwood with his final ball.

United's profligacy was to prove costly. Debutant Dean Morgan saw a header saved by Bartlett, while Whitaker took a complete air-shot when well placed to convert Jack Hunt's centre.

However, Whitaker did double his and the hosts' tally 11 minutes before the break, with his shot (pictured) taking a decisive deflection of Kovacs' knee and wrong-footing Bartlett.

The Bulls came agonisingly close to reducing arrears as the interval approached. Colbeck embarked on another lung-busting run before setting up Fleetwood, whose devastating drive cannoned off the inside of the near post and away to safety.

Colbeck was again involved as Hereford began the second period as they had ended the first.

Just five minutes had elapsed when the former Bradford forward released Manset, who rounded Lee before being brought down by the shot-stopper with the goal gaping.

Referee Mark Brown opted against issuing the glovesman his marching orders, a decision which was soon to further enrage the travelling supporters as Valentine - making his 300th Football League appearance - saw his spot-kick saved.

United continued to pile on the pressure, with captain Kovacs first seeing a header cleared off the goal-line before nodding a second effort inches over.

Fleetwood then watched his right-footed curler drift narrowly wide of the top corner.

Having weathered Hereford's mini-storm, John Sheridan's side promptly marched up the opposite end and killed the contest with two quickfire goals.

Bartlett denied Lester one-on-one, but in doing so pushed the ball into the path of Whitaker, who gleefully completed his treble.

And with Hereford still smarting from conceding a third, Jamaican international Ford rose unmarked to bury Whitaker's flag-kick.

Both Kovacs and Colbeck came close to bagging the Bulls a late consolation, with the former falling over as he prepared to pull the trigger, before the latter almost caught Lee out with an instinctive hit from 35-yards.

But the Spireites continued to threaten in the dying embers. Lively substitute Jordan Bowery saw his near-post blast beaten out by Bartlett, who saved his best until last to deny Whitaker his fourth and Chesterfield a fifth.

Chesterfield: Lee, Hunt, Breckin ©, Ford, Griffiths, Talbot, Whitaker, Allott (Niven 75), Mattis, Morgan (Boden 78), Lester (Bowery 67).

Subs not used: Redmond, Gray, Clay, Darwikwa.

Hereford United: Bartlett, Green, Kovacs ©, Townsend, Valentine, Colbeck, Lunt, McQuilkin (Malsom 77), Fleetwood, Canham (Stratford 67), Manset.

Subs not used: Connor, Kanoute, Weir, Rose, Gwynne.

Booked: Canham, Townsend, Manset.

Attendance: 4,970 - 219 away