Chesterfield drafted Gregor Robertson in on the left side of midfield after Darren Currie reported in with a stomach bug. Other than that, the side was the one that emerged from the pre-season period as the most likely to start, with five making their debuts and two more potential first-timers on the bench.
Chesterfield lost the toss and kicked off in pouring rain with the appreciable Underhill slope in their favour. A cagey opening period led to both midfields seeing a lot of the ball, without being able to get the forwards going. Barnet's quick front line gradually began to see the ball and exert pressure as the ten-minute mark approached.
Robertson's stabbed a shot goalwards to test Harrison for the first time on 10, but the veteran keeper was equal to it. Barnet won the game's first corner on 12 when Austin headed Gillet's corner away, but the short one cannoned off the closing Kerry for another corner. Lowry cleared this from the near post and Lee collected the return.
Ward shot wide on 14 after Chesterfield broke at pace through Goodall. Harrison made a great save after Bishop's lazy pass let Ward in on 17. Goodall picked up the side's first booking of the season moments later for a foul on Adomah. Barnet took the lead from Carew's free kick, taken from around halfway, that looped over the head of Tommy Lee and in, with 18 minutes gone.
Chesterfield came close to an equaliser on 22 when Harsley and Lester's lovely play cut the Barnet defence open, but Ward's shot curled agonisingly wide.
Page collected a yellow card after swinging a leg at Akurang on 28. Lester was booked on 32 for diving under a challenge in the Barnet box. Even Barnet observes thought it a nailed-on pen. The wild cheering that met the award of a Chesterfield free kick gave a clue as to the visiting supporters' assessment of the ref's performance, so far.
Harrison was forced into a fine one-handed save on 40 after Yakubu headed Lowry's cross goalwards. Lowry took the Spireites' first corner kick of the game, but Austin's header flew over.
Gillet went into the first-year ref's once-pristine notebook on 41, for holding Page.
Lester thought he'd equalised on 43 after taking Lowry's pass but he was correctly judged to have fouled his marker in the build-up. Chesterfield built pressure As the half came to a close, winning a second corner, which St Aimie headed out for another. Lowry took this too, from the other side, and this went out for a third corner. Robertson saved Lowry another 60-yard dash by taking it but it didn't clear the advanced defenders.
Barnet went in 1-0 up but might have considered themselves a tad fortunate to have taken the lead in such a streaky fashion, and luckier still to have retained it, with the home keeping having to make two fine saves. On the overall balance of play, though, the visitors could have had few complaints.
The second half opened with Chesterfield pressing and looking the better team.Bishop fouled Ward to concede a free kick in a dangerous place. Chesterfield won a corner from this, which Lowry took, but no-one attacked his low ball to the near post.
Chesterfield equalised on 55 after a fine run and shot from LESTER. Barnet's defence was stretched by his team-mates' runs and Jack beat three and the keeper to open his account for the season.
Carew put over a fine ball on 58 to put Lee under pressure and, with the keeper uncertain as to whether to stay on his line or not, three Barnet men attacked the ball but, thankfully, missed it.
Chesterfield took the lead on 60. Kerry and Harsley combined to set Ward free, and he drew two men towards him; they challenged but somehow the ball came to LESTER, who floated the ball over the keeper and in from just outside the box. Ward needed lengthy treatment to his knee
Barnet, who usually use the slope to come hard at their opponents at the start of the second period, were being rather outclassed by the visitors, and Akurang went into the book for a foul almost from the kick off.
On 68 Lee saved well from Birchall, whowas judged to be onside, despite looking well off. Lee pulled off an even better one on 71 after Adomah cut in and beat Goodall.
In a double substitution Debutant Luke Medley was called into action on 72, replacing Akurang, while St Aimie gave way to Deverdics . Leary replaced Carew on 77.
WARD extended the visitors' lead on 79 when Leary made a weak-back header from Goodall's ball forward, letting the livewire Spireite in to slot past Harrison in a one-on-one.
Derek Niven did something previously unseen, coming on as a substitute for the first time in his Chesterfield career, after 84 minutes. All his previous 185 League games for us had been as a starter. Lowry was the man replaced.
If Jack and Jamie shone to give Chesterfield the lead, Tommy Lee took his turn in the limelight, making two more good saves to deny the homesters. Aaron Downes, who looked set to come on twenty minutes previously, finally made it on in stoppage time, allowing Jack Lester to leave the field to an ovation from the fine turnout of visiting supporters.
