The Mariners’ Bristol Street Motors Trophy campaign ended with a narrow away defeat at Chesterfield.
On a night where Curtis Thompson and Jordan Davies both made long-awaited returns from injury, Town twice came from behind to level but eventually found themselves on the wrong side of a 3-2 scoreline.
James Berry opened the scoring for Chesterfield and although Lewis Cass made it 1-1, Paddy Madden struck to ensure the hosts went in at the break with the lead.
Cameron Gardner’s first senior goal levelled the scores again just after half-time but Berry’s second of the game eventually proved to be the difference between the teams at the SMH Group Stadium.
Thompson was included in the starting line-up for his first action of the season, while Jordan Davies was named on the bench as he also looked to make his comeback after being out since August.
Town head coach David Artell rotated his squad for the trip to north Derbyshire, with only goalkeeper Jordan Wright remaining in the XI following Saturday’s Sky Bet League Two victory at AFC Wimbledon, as youth teamers Callum Storr and Henry Brown were both handed starts.
Wright was protected by a defence of Cass, Storr, Doug Tharme and Matty Carson, while Callum Ainley, Thompson and Brown were the midfielders and Jayden Luker joined an attack which also featured Gardner and Justin Obikwu.
Seb Auton, Tyrell Warren, Harvey Cribb, Jason Svanthorsson, Luca Barrington, Danny Rose and Davies were all listed as substitutes.
Chesterfield came into the game knowing their progress to the knockout stages of the competition was secure, although Paul Cook’s men were still aiming for a win to guarantee a home tie as a reward for topping Northern Group G.
Town, on the other hand, were unable to progress beyond the group stage whatever the result, following their home defeat by Lincoln and the loss on penalties to Manchester City U21.
After a pre-match light show, the Mariners started on the front foot but the hosts created the first chance on seven minutes and from it, they opened the scoring. BERRY got the ball in midfield and cut inside from the left before beating Wright from 20 yards.
Town had an opportunity to respond with a free kick midway inside the Chesterfield half but after Carson chipped it into the penalty area for Tharme, he was unable to work an opening for a shot.
A good block from Tharme denied Madden and led to the game’s first corner, then after the hosts retained possession from the flag-kick, Branden Horton’s left-wing cross found Jamie Grimes at the far post but he could not steer the ball past Wright.
Town got themselves back on level terms on 18 minutes, when good play by Cass got its reward as he got forward into the box and his low pull-back ricocheted off Liam Mandeville and back to him. At the second attempt, CASS fired across goal and into the net via the far post.
Darren Oldaker replaced John Fleck for the home side in the first substitution on 20 minutes and Cribb came on for Thompson 10 minutes later in a planned change for the visitors.
The Mariners had an opportunity to complete the turnaround soon afterwards when a ball down the line from Cass found Obikwu. The striker beat the offside trap to cut into the box from the right but opted to shoot instead of squaring for Gardner and home keeper Ryan Boot made a block.
Mike Jones fired off-target from distance at the other end but the home side went on to reclaim the advantage six minutes before the break. A neat move down the left gave Horton the space to send a low cross over for MADDEN, who touched the ball past Wright and tapped into the empty net.
Madden was just wide with a header soon afterwards, before Wright claimed a cross from Ollie Banks on the right as Chesterfield looked to extend their lead.
Jones slipped as he looked to have an opportunity to make it 3-1 after good link-up play between Banks and Madden, then Gardner hit the side-netting at the other end from a narrow angle on the left as the half moved into five minutes of added time.
No further chances came before the referee’s half-time whistle, so Town remained a goal down at the interval.
SECOND HALF
Neither side made any further changes before the restart and Town were level again within 90 seconds. Luker’s ball found Obikwu in the middle and he in turn played it to GARDNER, who finished well from inside the box.
Carson saw a strike blocked as the away side’s strong opening to the second half continued, before a 20-yard strike from Berry proved comfortable for Wright in what was Chesterfield’s first opening since the break.
Tom Naylor replaced Grimes on 52 minutes after the home captain went down with an injury, then Tharme cut a low Mandeville cross out for a corner. Chesterfield kept possession from it until a low ball into the box found Madden on the six-yard line but he could only lift his shot onto the top of the bar and out for a goal kick.
Storr cleared a cross from Banks as the hosts kept the pressure on, then another centre from the right winger found Madden but his header dropped wide.
The next time Chesterfield went forward though, they grabbed the advantage for a third time. Banks linked up with Madden on the right and the striker pulled the ball back for BERRY to side-foot past Wright for his second of the game.
Berry was replaced by Armando Dobra, Madden made way for Will Grigg and Devon Tanton came on for Jones in a triple-substitution for Chesterfield on 68 minutes.
Davies and Barrington then came on in the yellow of the Mariners, taking the places of Brown and Luker.
Davies’ first action was to turn away from his man and find Obikwu on the left and the Coventry City loanee was then brought down on the edge of the box by Naylor, who was booked. Davies’ free kick took a deflection for a corner and from it, Obikwu saw a header blocked.
A diving header from Tyrone Williams flew wide, then Grigg also headed off-target as Chesterfield aimed to establish a two-goal cushion.
Barrington won a corner at the other end but Town could not profit from it, then the visitors were forced into a further change with four minutes to go when Storr went down with an injury. Warren came on in his place.
Wright saved from Grigg and a follow-up attempt from Dobra was well-blocked, before the game moved into at least seven added minutes.
And after nobody could get to a dangerous-looking low cross from Barrington, it proved to be Town’s last opportunity to grab a third equaliser and force a penalty shoot-out as Chesterfield saw the remainder of the contest out to seal their place at the top of the group, heading into the knockout rounds.
The Mariners now turn their attention back to the league and Saturday’s long trip to Newport County.
Town: Wright, Cass, Storr (Warren, 86), Tharme, Carson, Ainley, Thompson (Cribb, 30), Luker (Barrington, 68), Gardner, Obikwu, Brown (Davies, 68)
Subs not used: Auton, Svanthorsson, Rose
