The Spireites youth team lost 4-1 in a friendly at Sheffield FC on Tuesday at the BT Local Business Stadium.
Sheffield made the brighter start with keeper Harry Chapman thwarting the home side’s early efforts.
Sam Geeves’ testing ball had Sheffield’s trialist goalkeeper worried, having kept out an effort he recovered to smother the follow-up.
After 15 minutes, a through-ball from Jamie Robinson found Tirnan O’Connor in acres of space behind the Chesterfield defence, breaking the deadlock with a fine finish at Chapman’s near post.
Three minutes later, a touch from any player was all RmayareHamilton’s cross needed to equalise almost instantly, but the Spireites failed to capitalise.
Sheffield’s corner routine from the training ground found McKenzie Ross on the edge of the box, but the midfielder could only slice his shot high and wide.
Despite the fightback from the Spireites, Max Rhodes (27) doubled Sheffield’s lead with a smart chip over Chapman.
Rhodes was inches from being goalscorer-turned-provider as his low cross troubled defender George Wilkinson, forcing him to intervene and smack the Chesterfield post, almost scoring an own-goal to make it three for Sheffield.
Once again, Rhodes threatened the Chesterfield net, and had the ball in the back of the net, but his second goal of the night was ruled out for offside. A big let-off for the Spireites.
Another trialist on the night found Josh Kee in a good position but pressure from the Sheffield defence meant the striker could only strike wide.
Rhodes started the second half like he ended the first, bagging another goal nine minutes after the re-start. The striker found himself unmarked in the box and slid a shot past the onrushing Chapman for his second, and Sheffield’s third of the night.
Francis Finneran (70) snatched one back for Chesterfield with a powerful finish at the back post, but it was only to be a consolation goal.
Chesterfield scared the Sheffield defence with a free-kick late on, but the keeper put his body on the line and pushed the ball to safety.
Sheffield finally finished the game off with a minute left to play with Luke Hall, an on-loan Spireite himself, firing home from an O’Connor cross.
The home side dominated until the very end, with multiple chances to score another. Chesterfield’s only real chance in the last ten minutes was cleared off the line.
Spireites: Chapman (Trialist), Wood (Walsh), Hamilton(Barras), Wilkinson (Allerton), Trialist (Dia), Trialist(Tansley), Geeves, Fertaurdo (Bennett), Torres, Kee(Finneran), Trialist
