The Spireites exited the Central League Cup after a 1-0 loss to Grimsby Town at Alfreton Town’s Impact Arena, following Elliott Smith’s second-half strike.
Fortune Onoh found himself through on goal against Ryan Boot for the visitors, 20 minutes in. His weak effort was stopped comfortably by the Spireites number one.
Shortly after, Boot was forced into another save when Jude Soonsup-Bell drove a ball across the box and Zak Gilsenan struck first-time, straight at the keeper at the near post.
James Berry and Adam Lewis stood over a dangerously-placed free-kick. The latter struck the set piece towards goal but narrowly missed the target.
A nice move involving Lewis, Berry, Connor Cook and Dilan Markanday almost found Lee Bonis in the area to open the scoring late in the first half, but the final ball was cut out by the Grimsby defence.
Soonsup-Bell cut inside onto his right foot and attempted to curl an effort towards the back post, past a rooted Boot, but his shot fizzed past the woodwork.
The final chance of the first half came through Bonis, capitalising on a miscued clearance from the Grimsby goalkeeper and attempted to chip into an empty goal and could not find the back of the net.
The Spireites and Grimsby went into the break level, as neither side managed to break the deadlock.
Roles reversed from the first-half chance as Zak Gilsenan set up Soonsup-Bell with a driven cross, but the Grimsby attacker fired just wide.
Grimsby Town broke the deadlock in the 65th minute after Mamadu Jallou crossed into the path of Smith. A nice first touch set up a composed finish with his second into the bottom-right corner.
Boot was called into action to produce a brilliant reaction save to deny Charlie Elliott from point-blank range after the defender looked certain to double Grimsby’s advantage.
George Grumley suffered an injury late on and was unable to continue, meaning the Spireites were forced to play out the remainder of the game with ten men after using all available substitutes.
Reece Staunton fired a free-kick goalward and struck the crossbar with the final chance of the game as Grimsby Town progressed into the next round of the Central League Cup.
Spireites: Boot, Reece, Lewis (Wainman 64’), Grumley, Donacien (Hibbard 64’), Whitney ©, Markanday (McKernan 64’), Kondolo, Cook, Berry (Nicholson 64’), Bonis (Nkhonjera 70’)
