Roy McFarland sprang a few surprises for the trip to Macclesfield on Tuesday night, making five changes in all. Reuben Hazell, who had to pass a fitness test before last Saturday's match, was rested, and Hall and Davies joined him in missing the game completely. Larkin and Allott were rested to the bench. Bailey and O'Hare came into defence; Smith and Clingan started in midfield and DeBolla started up front. The biggest surprises were perhaps the starting roles for Nicholson and Allison, who were both expected to be rested for at least part of the game.

These games are always comparatively poorly attended, and Macc elected to play with just one side open - a nightmare taste of things to come, in the worst fears of some Spireite fans!

Chesterfield started brightly, keeping a high line and looking to attack. Smith, on the right, got into the box with thirty seconds on the clock but was challenged before he could produce a decent cross. The Spireites had two corners to their credit in the first six minutes but both were dealt with by the Silkmen. Macc came back on seven with a free kick but O'Hare was able to block out the danger.

McIntyre's 25 yard free kick on 10 was parried away by Roche. Macc continued to press and won their first corner on 11 when Alex Bailey blocked a cross. The Silkmen were creating space round the back and Blatherwick had to head out for the home side's second corner, on the quarter hour. Macc might have done better with the free header that came from it.

Clingan found Smith wide on 20. Adam went to the line and crossed but Swailes cleared before Allison could capitalise. DeBolla picked the ball up on the edge of the box on 22, but shot over. A cross my Mark Bailey was met with a good header but Roche was well placed to save. Clingan put a long throw out for another Macc corner on 26, but Blatherwick headed the place-kick away.

Hurst's crossfield ball won a throw that was worked to Bailey on 31. He one-twoed with Smith and crossed for Allison to head home, but the goal was disallowed for pushing. O'Hare wasn't far away with his head from Clingan's free kick on 38. After conceding the middle third of the half to Macc, Chesterfield finished more strongly but couldn't turn the homesters' defence conclusively enough to fashion clear chances.

Halftime: 0-0.

Whittaker's 48^th-minute foul on Clingan gave DeBolla a chance of a shot, but his effort went over. Macclesfield took the lead on 51: Beresford crossed and Wijnhard finished well with his head from 6 yards. N'Toya came on for DeBolla after 59 minutes.

Hurst found space on the hour and received Allison's flick but shot wide. Hurst chased a through ball and the keeper came out of the box: there was a question of his handling it, but nothing was given. Beresford found a lot of space on our right and got a shot away, which Roche did well to beat out.

Allott replaced Niven on 67. McIntyre gave the ball away to N'Toya on 69 and Tcham put one across the box, but no-one was there to capitalise. Allison fed Hurst and he went for goal, putting it just clear of the top corner. The Spireites won a corner on 71 but it was cleared for a throw. Allott's 74^th-minute throw was flicked on but N'Toya hooked it over from 6 yards.

Chesterfield brought Larkin on for Allison after 75 minutes. Smith's first-time shot on 76 was held by Fettis. Beresford extended Macclesfield's lead on 82 with a neat, curled effort from Wijnhard's pass.

For the second successive season, then, Chesterfield went out of the LDV to Macclesfield at Moss Rose. Beresford was his usual handful against us, and Blatherwick had his work cut out to keep tabs on Wijnhard, making his Macc debut. Ultimately, Macc were happy to restrict us to shots from outside the box: the fact that we failed to get round and behind them often enough will be of particular disappointment, considering that we played two specialist wide players in Hurst and Smith. Apart from Macc's goals, there was little to trouble us and, in general, there was not much to lift the spirits of many present. "Nil-nil and still taking the penalties" might have been a fair result.