Chesterfield made five changes to the team beaten at Lincoln last time out for the visit of Shrewsbury Town this afternoon. Jack Lester was unfit, so Scott Boden came in for his first league start of the season, ending a run of ten consecutive sub appearances. Phil Picken returned at left back for Kevin Austin and Drew Talbot started up front in place of Wade Small. Aaron Downes came in for his first game since damaging knee ligaments last Easter, at the expense of Rob Page, while Derek Niven took David Perkins' starting berth. Del was the only other player among the starting eleven who began the game in which Aaron Downes was injured, emphasising the extent to which this Chesterfield side has been re-shaped. Leeds loanee Davide Somma found a place among the substitutes.

Both sides seemed evenly-matched during a first half-hour that saw The Spireites edge the share of possession. Ian Morris shot from the corner of the penalty area on 4 to force Button into a fine-looking parry, and the same player took a Talbot pass on 16, cutting in and shooting powerfully to force Button into another good save. Disley should have given the visitors the lead on 20 after taking a fine pass from the impressive Neale, but the ex-Stag shot unaccountably wide from around six yards.

Chesterfield's impetus ground to a halt on 21, when Talbot went down after an innocent-looking challenge in midfield. The game was held up for four minutes while his ankle was stabilised and he was eventually carried from the field, to be replaced by Somma.

Another decent Neale pass on 36 allowed Leslie to get clear, but Breckin did just enough to force the Shrewsbury man to blast over from close range, when well-set to score. It was a temporary stay of execution for the home side, though; a minute later Hibberd got the faintest of touches to a Neale cross to flick the ball past a wrong-footed Crossley, and in.

A tactical change at half time saw Chesterfield adopt a form of 4-1-4-1 that had Allott playing deeper, almost between defence and midfield. This gave him room and time to work and helped Chesterfield's efforts to move the ball around the field, but Shrewsbury's two banks of four were not greatly distracted by this. Little broke into the box after collecting a Djalali flick and tested Button with a decent shot from a tight angle. When the resultant corner was cleared, Allott raced to the loose ball to power a shot narrowly over.

Holden was a close second to a loose ball on the edge of the Shrews' "D" on the hour. Unfortunately for him, Djalali was first, and Holden's challenge thus became a foul that earned a red card for the Shrewsbury defender. The visitors' reorganisation saw Hibbert left as a lone man up front.

With Shrewsbury's attacking ideas curtailed, Perkins came on for Picken after 68. Chesterfield enjoyed more of the ball but noticeably lacked the influence and link play of Jack Lester. The influential Neale went off for Taylor, on 71. Morris took a fine Niven pass on 76 and cut in to shoot a few yards wide.

When Djalali went down injured Button threw the ball out for a throw to allow treatment. Whether through misunderstanding or not, Djalali took the throw to a Chesterfield player, rather than conceding possession as is customary, and this incident led to Button and Somma being yellow-carded after a half-hearted melee that involved several players.

Allott shot wide on 85 and Small came on for Djalali, but there was no way back for The Spireites. Bright replaced Hibbert with four minutes left and Taylor was booked for time-wasting, but Shrewsbury weren't really forced into doing too much of that to go home with the points, in the face of a disappointing and disjointed Chesterfield performance.