Jamie Ward came back into the starting line-up for the first time since August after recovering from his hamstring injury. Adam Rooney made way after a four-match spell in the starting eleven that averaged a goal a game. Felix Bastians kept his place on the left, celebrating the extension of his loan deal by a further month.

Andy Oakes injured himself in the warm-up, causing youngster David Stockdale to have to don the gloves for Darlo; the home side's injury woes were compounded by the absence of the likes of Pawel Abbott and Julian Joachim, two forwards who, like Jack Lester in the Spireites line-up, really belong in a higher football sphere.

After a cagey opening five, Ward got in front of Wright and shot, but the ball was charged down. Bastians moved into the box but the ball was cleared for the game's opening corner. Downes pulled away from his marker but couldn't get power to Lowry's flag kick. Darlo threatened for the first time after eight minutes, but Ravenhill's shot went over.

Leven looked wide for on 15 Bastians with a fine ball but the classy German was judged narrowly offside. Lester found space and shot wide when the pass to Ward might have been a better option. Chesterfield were enjoying the upper hand, just, as the visiting supporters got noisily behind their team. Darlington came close to taking the lead when Kovacs' header came only to Green, whose shot was deflected wide for a corner. From the kick, Roche gathered a shot from Austin.

Ward had three round him on 25 but still managed to get the ball out towards Lester, although Austin came in to cover. Ward broke and found Bastians, who worked it to Lester, but his shot went across the goal. White came in with a saving tackle on 28 to deny Lester.

Kovacs slipped in attempting a tackle and required Jamie Hewitt's attention, but recovered to continue. Downes gave away a free kick as the game became a little scrappier, from Chesterfield's point of view White's shot hit Lowry and went out for a corner on 33. White was penalised for a foul on Bastians as the kick came over.

Keltie's corner was cleared by Robertson on 34 and Picken got in 39 on and worked the ball to Bastians, whose header left the keeper completely beaten but hit the corner of bar and post. Another Darlington corner was safely cleared. Kovacs gave away an unnecessary free kick just outside the area that Smith took but placed wide of the post.

Ward's shot deflected off a defender for a corner on 44. Bastians' kick looked for Lester at the near post, but Jack was judged to have fouled in going for it. Darlington rushed to the other end and Picken reacted quickly to clear his lines.

Half time: nil-nil.

Picken was spoken to after fouling Smith on 49. Two evenly-matched sides were unable to produce a telling touch of class to separate themselves as the second half opened in the same disjointed way that the first half finished. White beat Downes at the far post but couldn't keep his header down. Ward took it from one box to the other in exciting style, beating three men in approaching their area; Smith was booked on 54. Foster brought Ward down on 57 to present the Spireites with a free kick in a promising position, but Niven's attempted through ball bisected the space between Lowry and Lester, and drifted out of play.

Darlington brought Cummins, the ex-Vale man, on for Smith with 59 on the clock. Bastians was a touch careless on 65, presenting Blundell with a change that was put wide. Ward broke into the box, controlled the ball well and shot from an acute angle, but Stockdale did enough to push it round the post. Lowry's corner was easily collected. Lowry won his side's fifth corner on 66: Bastians took it and it was cleared, but the visitors' final ball lacked quality and the keeper came away with it.

Picken was booked for a foul on 71. Ward tried to lay the ball through to Lester on 74 but the ball was eventually cleared by Cummins. Darlo won a corner on 78 but their attempt to capitalise was clumsy, and the ball went dead.

Lester had plugged away in the target man role without much success and Adam Rooney came on for him with ten minutes left. The visitors won a corner which Bastians took, but Keltie cleared. Ravenhill went into the book for pulling Rooney's shirt, close enough for Leven and Bastians to be interested. Felix took it and his effort was tipped over by Stockdale for a corner.Lowry's flag kick was cleared after Downes slipped on his way to meet the ball.

Kovacs and White were both injured on 87 but resumed after treatment. Darlington replaced Green with McBride on 90. Rooney got into the box but White was able to usher him away and drive forward. Picken cleared and Leven helped the ball into the Darlo half.

Full-time: nil-nil.