On a bitterly cold night at Edgeley Park, which somehow managed to survive the earlier snow showers, there was high expectation following the derby win at near neighbours Oldham.

County were looking to avenge the 4-0 demolition from earlier in the season, although this was a very changed line-up from that miserable night at Saltergate.

As expected it was an unchanged line-up for County who performed so well at Boundary Park, which meant home debuts for Harpal Singh and Kevan Hurst.

Chesterfield included former favourite, Shane Nicholson and former keeper, Carl Muggleton as they continued their push for a play-off spot. County, as on Saturday are now seemingly playing for pride alone.

County looked nervous in the early exchanges and within the first 50 seconds a James Spencer fumble nearly allowed Spireites forward, Caleb Folan a goal. Indeed the County backline appeared to be late out of the traps and former Arsenal trainee Alex Bailey was able to find Mark DeBolla with plenty of space, but John Hardiker was on hand to clear the ball.

In a very drab first half, County started to slowly find their feet, and they created a few good opportunities, but these were often cut out by a stubborn Chesterfield backline.

The first real opportunity for County came through the impressive Harpal Singh, when a neat one two with Warren Feeney was well cleared by a Spireites defender.

As the game progressed County seemed to have the better of the chances, and there was some promising build up play. Keith Briggs, who looked as tireless as ever had a great opportunity to score after good work from Singh, but again his chance didn't cause too many problems for Muggleton.

Moment's later home debutant, Kevan Hurst carved out another opportunity to put County in front. The exciting winger broke away from a Chesterfield attack and from the right wing he tried to cross for Warren Feeney, but instead the ball nearly beat the keeper and almost gave the Blades man his second goal in as many games.

County's pressure eventually paid off, when on the stroke of half time top-scorer, and Luton target, Warren Feeney grabbed his twelfth goal of the campaign with a well taken goal from the edge of the area. Feeney capitalised after a mistake by Aaron Downes, whose backward header was poor.

The second half started with the County rearguard soaking up some real pressure. There was almost an equaliser within the first few seconds, when the referee allowed play to continue after a dubious handball in the area. The County defence was out of sorts and unable to clear a Debolla opportunity, until James Spencer came to the rescue.

County struggled to find their feet after the restart and so it was perhaps no real surprise that Chesterfield grabbed an equaliser from a well-taken Mark Debolla goal, an almost carbon-copy of the earlier Feeney strike.

Chesterfield could have taken the lead moments later when former County target, Mark Hudson's effort seemed to be heading for the bottom corner of the Stockport goal. But the ex-Middlesbrough man's shot went agonisingly wide.

County started to regain composure shortly after this and lay siege on the away goal. Both Harpal Singh and Warren Feeney created enough chances to put County back in front, indeed it looked as if Chris Armstrong had done just that, when from a Singh corner he rose above everyone else in the box, but his header went just over.

The plaudits in this drab and often scrappy game, went to Mark Allott. The former Oldham man produced a goal from the top drawer, which even Wayne Rooney would have been proud of. His volley into the top corner of the net came from nowhere, but it was enough to finish off County.

County: Spencer, Goodwin, Dolan, Raynes, Hardiker, Hurst, Briggs, Robertson (Bailey 88), Singh, Armstrong (Le Fondre 84), Feeney.
Subs not used: Cutler, Bridge-Wilkinson, Jackman.
Goals: Feeney 45.
Booked: Hardiker.

Chesterfield: Muggleton, Bailey, Evatt, Downes (Blatherwick 68), Nicholson, Allott, Fowler, Niven, Hudson, De Bolla (N'Toya 79), Folan.
Subs not used: Innes, Davies, Richmond.
Goals: De Bolla 51, Allott 81.
Booked: Evatt, N'Toya.

Attendance: 4,201.

Referee: Paul Robinson (E Yorkshire).