Connor Cook was the match-winner at Lincoln City as the Spireites won 1-0 at Lincoln City in the Bristol Street Motors Trophy.
Chesterfield travelled to Sincil Bank for the first time since 2018; the latest Bristol Street Motors clash was always likely to see both managers rotate their squad and Paul Cook chose to make nine changes from the side that fell to a narrow defeat at Gillingham last weekend.
Just Vontae Daley-Campbell and Chey Dunkley retained their places and there was a debut for new signing Max Thompson, who started in goal, while academy graduate Ali Mohiuddin started in midfield. Liam Mandeviile returned to the squad but had to settle for a place on the bench.
The Spireites, with two league points already on the board, were looking for a positive result to ensure early qualification from the group stage.
The rain had stopped by kick-off and the pitch was in perfect condition as the Spireites kicked towards their travelling fans.
The first action saw the games’s first corner after Freddie Draper had twice hit the ball across goal. From the flag-kick Lewis Montsma headed against Thompson’s left upright and the ball cleared to safety.
At the other end, Cook and Daley-Campbell combined well and broke into the box forcing Paudie O’Connor to happily concede a corner that found Bailey Hobson who was swiftly dispossessed.
Cook took Chesterfield’s second corner; he found two blue shirts, but sadly neither could retain control.
Lincoln were having the lion’s share of possession but were limited to optimistic balls in such as the one whipped across goal by Erik Ring that found no takers.
Thompson was called into his first real action in the 23rd minute when Jack Moylan saw an opening and hit well centrally from 25 yards, forcing him to tip away to safety. Two corners followed but caused no threat.
The Spireites went close five minutes before the interval when, from another Cook corner, Tyrone Williams picked up well but his shot flew wide of Zach Jeacock’s right-hand post with the keeper well adrift.
Just one minute was added and brought no further action; undoubtedly City will feel they had the edge but Chesterfield will have been satisfied with parity at the interval.
Hobson put an effort wide from the edge of the area before having a hand in the only goal of the game.
A shot from Hobson was saved and Cook (55) was on hand to fire into the net.
A triple change straight after the goal saw Cook, Daley-Campbell and Mohiuddin replaced by Darren Oldaker, Armando Dobra and Mandeville.
Further changes were made in the 71st minute when Will Grigg and Dilan Markanday took over from Kane Drummond and Michael Jacobs.
Chesterfield: Thompson, Daley-Campbell (Dobra 56), Grimes, Jacobs (Markanday 71), Williams, Hobson, Dunkley, Jones, Mohiuddin (Mandeville 56), Cook (Oldaker 56), Drummond (Grigg 71)
Substitutes not used: Boot & Naylor
Referee: Ruebyn Ricardo
Attendance: 2,208 (343)
