Chesterfield went into their final league match of the season knowing that third place was the best they could possibly achieve. With no opportunity for a higher position, Dave Bentley decided to offer a few of his under 16's a taste of youth football.
Aided by injuries from regulars Chris Tingay, Sam Clare and Craig Clay, Bentley was able to offer youngsters Jack Waddle and Sam West their first and last starts of the 2009/10 campaign.
Tendayi Darikwa took the captain's armband in what was his, like many other second years, last ever North East Alliance League match. It was defiantly the second years' last match at Warminster Road as they take to Saltergate's turf on Tuesday night.
The Spireites started in positive fashion, as within 60 seconds of Doncaster starting the match Sam Smith had produced a sliced effort on the visitors' goal.
This continued and Darikwa thought he had put his side a goal up just minutes later, but the linesman deemed the Spireite captain to be in an offside position prior to the close range shot.
Despite impressing recently against Mansfield Town, when replacing the injured Scott Webb, Sam West had a nervy moment early on when his poor clearance was fished back into the Chesterfield penalty box where West was beaten to the ball as it appeared the ball was destined for the back of the net. However, Gerome Palmer had other ideas and was on hand to save the day as he cleared the ball off the line at the last possible second.
Where as just days ago this type of move would sent the Chesterfield heads crashing down, the Spireites retaliated in superb fashion and were unlucky not to have done better off a number of attacks.
Despite the referee's best intentions to not allow a free flowing match, the Spireites put together some neat football. Jordan Edridge struck wide after a goal-line scramble involving Ben Watkis and Jordan Burrow.
The Blues continued to attack more frequently and had adapted a more attacking strategy with Waddle and Sam Smith looking dangerous down the flanks.
Both Jimmy Adcock and Jordan Burrow had efforts fly over the Doncaster bar, with Adcock's 30 yard strike lacking direction, where as the latter had a headed chance just miss the target.
Adcock's powerful run on 32 minutes saw the midfielder hit the deck on the edge of the box after a blatant foul had been committed, despite the Chesterfield screams the referee allowed play to continue.
Ryan Granger's extensive free-kick, initially intended for a cross, almost proved to be goal bound just before the half time break.
The Spireites didn't let this momentum drop and after a short team talk got back to their attacking style.
Just six minutes into the re-start and Chesterfield got their just deserts. After skilfully being played in by Darikwa, Smith proceeded to produce a pin-point cross into the Rover's box that saw Burrow finish in what was becoming to be his territory this season.
Often the dominant force during set pieces, Matt Needham came close to using his height to increase the score. A well worked training ground exercise worked by Granger, gave the centre-half an opportunity from close range to score, but his flicked header went just over the crossbar.
Smith and Burrow were again on hand to hit the back of the net. Smith, again the provider, picked out Chesterfield's leading marksman to score his second of the match from a left sided freekick.
Chesterfield, and Burrow in particular, continued to search more goals in a game that was all but over, but in the end the Spireites had to settle for just two.
The Spireites' League season may be over for another year, but the youngsters play on Tuesday night at Saltergate in the Midland Cup semi-final.
Chesterfield (4-4-2): West, Edridge, Granger, Needham, Palmer, Smith, Waddle (Wright 62), Adcock, Darikwa, Watkis, Burrow
Subs Not Used: Beaglehole, Webb
Goals: Burrow 51, 64
Spireites reporting team Adam Hulme and Phil Oddy
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