The Spireites gave a start to Luke Boden, newly signed on loan from Sheffield Wednesday. To cover for the absence of the suspended Rob Page, Aaron Downes moved to centre and Phil Picken came in on the right. Jamie Lowry has been attending to a family illness all week and started on the bench, replaced by Gregor Robertson. Valdemar Teixeira was present at the ground, but was not involved in the shake-up.

Chesterfield started brightly with a couple of early shots but Dale won the game's first corner, on 5. LeFondre's poor control on 9 tempted Robertson into a high challenge that earned the Chesterfield man an early booking. The game was being played at a cracking pace and some of Chesterfield's challenges were more tenacious, than well-timed.

Ward was looking dangerous playing off the defence's shoulder. Both sides were competing well in an entertaining game, without creating clear chances. Robertson took a risk with another high foot to hook the ball away from Rhodes, but got the benefit of the doubt from referee Haines. Goodall shot wide from the edge of the box on 24 after coming up on the overlap.

Dale began to exert a little more influence and Austin was handed a warning after holding back LeFondre on 33. Downes was forced to concede a corner after a Dale move swept from one side to the other; the delivery went to no-one at the far post. Downes blotted his copybook with an unnecessary foul to earn a booking.

Carson fell gratefully on the ball after a goalmouth scramble from a corner on the stroke of half time; Rhodes had shot against Carson while he was on the deck and probably wasted his side's best chance of the half.

Halftime: goalless.

Boden won an early second-half corner off Stanton but McArdle was able to deal with Currie's attempt to find Downes at the far post. Chesterfield had the better of the opening phase of the half and Ward got a super ball through to Robertson, who shot, but Russell came from somewhere to pull off a remarkable save. Goodall and Buckley collided and the defender seemed to have hurt a wrist.

Jamie Lowry replaced Luke Boden on the hour. Chris Dagnall came off the bench for LeFondre at the same time. Austin got the slightest of touches to a Jones cross to deny it reaching a Rochdale man in space as the home side's substitution invigorated them. The impetus was behind Dale, now.

The Spireites won another corner on 66, as a low-driven cross was deflected out. Dale defended it well, though. At the other end Buckey crossed, but the ball swerved and deceived Carson, sailing past him and into the net to give Dale the lead. Lowry tried his luck from the restart but found Russell solid.

Ward had a chance from close range but put the ball over the bar, on 73, just after Keltie left a foot in on Winter. The visitors had three chances in the same move but the keeper saved the first and the last two were blocked, before Ward fired over.

McArdle was booked for a foul on Ward, on 78.

Ward's perseverance shone like a beacon. Jones fouled him 25 yards out on 85 and Chesterfield equalised when Russell let WARD'S free kick through his fingers. Lee Richardson brought Harsley on for Currie on 87. McArdle had to pull off a fine tackle to take the ball off Harsley as he shaped to shoot; late Chesterfield pressure saw Ward break into the box, but the home defence closed him out.

As the game entered stoppage time Ward chased a through ball that had clipped a defender's head on the way through; the assistant ref didn't see the contact with the Dale player and flagged for offside, but Ward continued. The Ref booked Ward for what he saw as time-wasting.

Picken cleared a ball aimed for Rundle in stoppage time but the ball was returned; a header came in but Carson collapsed on it. Seconds later Carson was yellow-carded after taking Rhodes down outside the box. Ward was called back to defend and ran in front of Kennedy, the free-kick taker, on his way back; the referee had little option but to show a second yellow and sent him off. Kennedy buried the free kick to give Dale a late winner.