Chesterfield made three changes to the side beaten at Macclesfield last Saturday. Hawkins made way in central defence for Downes; Leven came back in for Niven in midfield and Jack Lester replaced Steve Fletcher up front.

The Spireites began quite brightly, playing some neat passing stuff around a slightly ponderous-looking County rearguard and getting through to create good chances. Lester found Ward on the edge of the box on 4 and he laid the ball into the path of the inrushing Leven, who saw Hoult palm his shot away. Lowry worked the ball across the box on 5 and Leven dummied to give Ward a glimpse, but he was crowded out.

Being us, of course, there was always the chance that good work up front might be undone by sloppiness at the back. Kovacs tried to shepherd the ball out on 8 but when it became clear that the ball wouldn't go out, he tried to knock the ball back to Roche. Weir-Daley was there too, though, and Roche just managed to fall on to ball in the nick of time.

Owens and Lester linked on 9 to provide Jack with a chance that was hit narrowly over, and Hoult dealt well with a long-range Leven shot on 16. From the corner Lester let go a first-time shot from around six yards but Hoult, in good form, saved well.

Chesterfield continued to press and when Hoult finally erred, coming so far for a ball that Kerry was able to perform an over-head kick to send the ball goalwards, Edwards came back at the last moment to clear off the line.

County got forward for the first time in half an hour and took the lead, on 44. Again, uncertainty between a central defender and his keeper led to it; Downes allowed Weir-Daley to get between him and Roche and the forward got enough to it to force the ball home. Against the run of play? Yes. Against the run of our season? Hardly. It might have been worse, but for Roche's fine tip-over from Weston's rasping shot on the stroke of half-time.

Halftime: Spireites 0 County 1.

Ward ran from halfway on 55 and shot froma narrow angle, but Hoult dealt with it. The Spireites equalised on the hour; a delightful dink over the defence from Leven found LESTER, who turned to shoot across Hoult and into the far corner. Ben Algar replaced Owens before the kick-off.

Interestingly, protesting supporters resumed chants for the manager's removal straight after the equaliser, although there seemed to be as many prepared to shout down those calling for the manager's head.

Parkinson replaced Corden on 65. Good Lowry control and persistence took him to the edge of the box on 70; he found Ward, who shot, but Hoult was down to save well at close range. A Kerry thunderbolt from 25 yards clipped Hoult's fingers on its way to crashing back off the crossbar; the goalie was furiously shaking life back into his injured digits as Leven tried to get the ball goalward.

Winter replaced Leven on 73. One ex-Spireite replaced another when Dudfield replaced Lee on 75; operating as a straightforward target man these days, Lee gave Downes plenty to think about all afternoon, although the Chesterfield man generally dealt with him well enough. Dowson replaced Kovacs with 12 minutes remaining. Roche came to hoof a clearance and actually got it over the houses behind the Pop Side, and into Compton Street itself. The ball must have come down at some pace; perhaps someone at the match parked their saloon car there, and came back to find a convertible!