Football: Thorne Strikes Early but Cardiff Forced to Fight All the Way; Cardiff 1 Chesterfield 0

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Byline: TONY REES

PETER THORNE'S early strike proved enough to power the Bluebirds back to within one point of Division Two leaders Wigan at Ninian Park.

City's pounds 1.7m club record signing scored his sixth goal of the season after 12 minutes to send a crowd of 13,331 - Cardiff's second biggest of the season - away happy.

But Lennie Lawrence's team needed a large chunk of fortune to secure their seventh consecutive home League victory - Chesterfield's Chris Brandon missed a 23rd minute penalty.

Thorne said: "That was a right battle, we did well to get all three points.

"They played some great football around the edge of our box …