Grimsby Town fell to defeat as 10-man Chesterfield held on for all three points at the SMH Group Stadium.
The Mariners, backed by a sold-out away following of 995, were on top for much of the first half but were unable to convert their chances into goals.
Instead, they found themselves two down at the break after James Berry opened the scoring just before the half-hour and Dilan Markanday added a second in stoppage time.
Town got themselves back into the contest when Charles Vernam made it 2-1 five minutes after the restart and they were given a numerical advantage when Darren Oldaker was sent off for two bookable offences.
But despite pouring forward as the clock ticked down, the visitors could not force an equaliser and had to leave empty-handed after a frustrating afternoon.
Grimsby were unchanged following last week’s home victory over Bradford City, with goalkeeper Jordan Wright protected by a defence of Tyrell Warren, Harvey Rodgers, Cameron McJannet and Denver Hume. George McEachran, Kieran Green and Evan Khouri were the midfielders, with Jason Svanthorsson and Vernam supporting striker Danny Rose.
The substitutes were Jake Eastwood, Doug Tharme, Lewis Cass, Callum Ainley, Matty Carson, Luca Barrington and Donovan Wilson.
Chesterfield were looking to bounce back after a narrow defeat at Gillingham last time out in Sky Bet League Two, although Paul Cook’s side enjoyed an away win at Lincoln City in the Bristol Street Motors Trophy in midweek.
Veteran striker Will Grigg would be aiming to provide the goals for the hosts.
Svanthorsson won the game’s first corner on two minutes and it led to a chance for Rodgers but he could only volley wide of the far post.
Another opportunity followed when Green powered down the right and pulled the ball back for Warren, although his low strike from the edge of the penalty area was stopped by home keeper Ryan Boot.
Vernam saw a strike blocked after cutting inside from the left as Town’s positive start continued, before a great challenge by Khouri stopped Armando Dobra as Chesterfield went forward for the first time.
Green escaped a yellow card after a late challenge on Oldaker and seconds later, he was on the attack with another run down the right. Rose stretched to meet the midfielder’s cross but his volley was straight at Boot.
Chesterfield’s first corner came on 22 minutes when a cross was blocked by Khouri and it turned into another one on the opposite, left flank. This time, Vernam eventually cleared the danger.
Wright got down to stop a low effort by Ollie Banks soon afterwards, then Oldaker was shown the afternoon’s first yellow card for a poor challenge on Khouri. Vernam went for goal from the resulting free kick but his 30-yard attempt was caught by Boot.
Warren was booked on 27 minutes after bringing Berry down to the left of the Town box and this time, the deadlock was broken from the free kick. BERRY took it himself and hit it low and hard to the near post, where a deflection took it into the net.
Falling behind was harsh on the Mariners after they had been on top for the majority of the opening half-hour and they were on the attack again soon afterwards with Green, who made his way into the box from the right but saw a cross-shot saved.
Jamie Grimes was booked for a foul on Svanthorsson, with the visitors pressing for an equaliser as half-time loomed.
Dobra fired wide from 25 yards at the other end, before a Grimsby free kick was dealt with as the half moved into three added minutes.
Chesterfield went on to double their advantage before the interval. Rodgers and McJannet were unable to clear as Grigg aimed to work an opening for a shot from inside the box and Markanday pounced on the loose ball to beat Wright.
That meant despite being the better side for much of the half, the Mariners had been left with a mountain to climb after the break if they were to get themselves back into the contest.
SECOND HALF
No changes were made before the restart and within five minutes, Town reduced their deficit to one goal. Vernam made progress through the middle before letting fly from 25 yards with a superb strike which beat Boot and made it 2-1.
Dobra went close at the other end with a curling strike which just missed the far post, before a Chesterfield corner led to Wright gathering the ball at the second attempt.
Vernam became the latest to see the yellow card on 58 minutes, then a home penalty appeal was turned down after a coming-together between Wright and Grigg as a through-ball from Berry proved just too far ahead of the striker.
Rose was booked for dissent after McEachran was brought down, before a potential turning point came when the home side were reduced to 10 men as Oldaker was shown a second yellow card for a foul on Rose. Hume’s resulting free kick hit the Chesterfield wall.
Liam Mandeville, Harvey Araujo and Jason Metcalfe replaced Banks, Berry and Markanday in a triple-substitution for the hosts on 70 minutes, with the result still in the balance.
Warren headed a corner clear soon afterwards, before Rodgers volleyed wide at the other end.
Town had another chance on 76 minutes as Green met a cross from Vernam on the left but the midfielder could not keep his header down.
Carson and Wilson came on in place of Hume and Khouri soon afterwards in the away side’s first changes in a bid to force an equaliser.
But they were inches away from falling further behind seconds later, as a cross from the home right was headed against the far post by Lewis Gordon and the rebound from Grigg bounced back off the bar.
Michael Jacobs was sent on in place of Dobra for Chesterfield with nine minutes to go, then a low pull-back from Wilson was cut out by Mandeville for a corner, which was headed wide by Rose at the far post.
Green won a corner on 85 minutes but it did not lead to a chance in front of goal as Carson’s low cross was held by Boot.
Another low cross from Carson brought the same result soon afterwards following a neat move around the edge of the box.
Barrington came on for Vernam with two minutes to go and Vontae Daley-Campbell replaced Devan Tanton in the blue of the hosts at the same time.
Wilson could only head at Boot after a Svanthorsson cross from the right as the game moved into seven added minutes and Carson became the latest to be booked after a foul midway inside his own half.
Ainley came on for Green and Town poured forward for the remainder of the contest but were unable to force a breakthrough as Chesterfield held firm.
The Mariners are next in action on Saturday, when Bromley will be the visitors to Blundell Park.
Town: Wright, Warren, Rodgers, McJannet, Hume (Carson, 78), McEachran, Green (Ainley, 90+2), Khouri (Wilson, 78), Svanthorsson, Rose, Vernam (Barrington, 88)
Subs not used: Eastwood, Tharme, Cass
