The Spireites were coasting to a deserved win at Tranmere Rovers until Connor Jennings hit home in added time to make it 1-1 and break the hearts of the team who had worked so hard throughout the 90 minutes.
Chesterfield arrived at Prenton Park with six consecutive league and cup defeats in Birkenhead behind them. Last season’s lunch time kick-off saw Rovers score four second-half goals without reply to enable them to move further away from relegation danger.
Both sides put in good performances last weekend with the Spireites having to settle for a point in an entertaining home draw with Fleetwood whereas Rovers grabbed an emphatic win 4-1 at Bristol Rovers to move them up to 18th in the League table. But at home they hadn’t won since their first home game of the season when they dispatched ten-man Shrewsbury by a four-goal margin.
Paul Cook chose to make two changes to last Saturday’s starting line-up: Vontae Daley-Campbell replaced Devan Tanton and Tom Naylor took over Armando Dobra. At kick-off the conditions underfoot were ideal but a strong unpredictable wind was likely to create problems.
Another good following had made the journey to the Wirral and they loudly greeted the Spireites onto the pitch. Chesterfield won the toss and decided to kick towards their fans.
An early promising move from the home side saw Josh Davison burst into the area but his hit across goal was cleared and set up a break down the left wing from James Berry. Berry was brought down on the touchline but free-kick was immediately cut-out.
Kyle McFadzean took a tumble as Rovers broke, play was held up for treatment but the impetus Tranmere had was lost when play resumed.
The Spireites broke the deadlock in the 12th minute. A Rovers attack broke down and Berry picked up the loose ball and ran strongly down the left wing, cut inside and put a teasing ball across the face of goal. Berry had been hoping for a blue shirt to connect, instead winger Omari Patrick decided to try a clearance but only succeeded in turning the ball into the Tranmere net.
Dilan Markanday took a corner and it was sneaking in at the far post until Patrick Brough cleared. Almost immediately Markanday picked up on the right and hit agonisingly just wide of Joe Murphy’s right upright.
Berry picked up on the left and ran well, spotted Markanday free and provided a gem of a pass. Markanday controlled and hit only for Murphy to tip to safety.
Berry was in action again as he picked up from Liam Mandeville’s free-kick but hit rashly over the crossbar.
Tranmere won a free-kick late in the half – Charlie Whitaker took it and forced a save from Zach Hemming; a flurry of corners followed and from the last Rovers thought they had levelled when Nathan Smith touched home from a corner on the left. Thankfully, the assistant referee was in a good position to spot an off-side infringement and ensure the Spireites retained their deserved lead at the interval.
Rovers started the second period brightly with the Spireites slow to regain their composure.
Tranmere were having most of the possession but were being marshalled well and by the hour-mark had created nothing of note.
Berry received wide-left, made his trade-mark run before cutting inside and trying a shot that flew inches wide of the keeper’s left-hand post.
Berry went close after playing a one-two with Lee Bonis, from the return he hit narrowly wide of Murphy’s left upright.
Paul Cook made his first changes after 71 minutes when Ronan Darcy and Dylan Duffy replaced Berry and Mandeville.
The Spireites went so close after Lewis Gordon hit a powerful ball in, Bonis got a touch that somehow managed to avoid hitting the back of the net. A minute later the Spireites looked to have a good call for a penalty when Bonis was bundled over.
In the last minute Will Grigg replaced Bonis. Four added minutes were awarded and Rovers levelled in the third as Jennings hit home from a right-wing corner. In the last minute, Duffy had a chance to claim three points but his free-kick flew into the arms of Murphy.
Chesterfield: Hemming, Daley-Campbell, Dunkley, McFadzean, Gordon; Stirk, Mandeville (Darcy 71), Markanday, Naylor, Berry (Duffy 71), Bonis (Grigg 89)
Unused subs: Boot, Lewis, Fleck, Donacien
Attendance: 7,013 (1,067 Chesterfield)
