Chesterfield fall at first hurdle in Carabao Cup again despite second-half push
Chesterfield old boy Ched Evans’ goal sentenced the Spireites to a traditional early exit from the League Cup.
The veteran front man scored the only goal of the game at sun-kissed Highbury as Fleetwood Town prevailed 1-0 in the opening fixture of the 2026/27 season.
It was a 14th straight defeat in the competition for Chesterfield, who already held its record for the longest run of defeats heading into the tie.
The decisive moment came on 15 minutes. Goalkeeper Ryan Boot showed a moment’s hesitancy dealing with a ball down the left flank and Evans nipped in to convert from a tight angle.
The scores could have been level moments later. Ruel Sitiriou picked out Dilan Markanday down the right and his centre found Lewis Gordon who side-footed over on the full.
Last season’s top scorer, Lee Bonis, then planted a shot on the turn into the ground and over from close range.
There were five newcomers in the the Spireites line-up in Remeao Hutton, Jack Simpson, George McEachran, Sitiriou and Josh Koroma in what was developing into a scrappy affair.
McEachran’s low drive worked goalkeeeper Jay Lynch and Boot went down low to keep out Will Davies as the half petered out.
The 579 travelling supporters who had made their way over to the Fylde coast needed something to cheer in the second half.
Kicking towards them, their team came out with more intent and nearly scored when Bonis clipped the crossbar with a header from Gordon’s centre.
Fleetwood, pressed back, were content to sit in.
Koroma was booked for an alleged dive and replaced by Danny Anisjko.
Another new signing, Fraser Bryden, replaced Bonis and Liam Mandeville was thrown into the fray as the Spireites continued to probe and get their passing game going.
With the ball pinging around the home penalty area, Fleetwood clung on with a mixture of pluck and luck at times. All that was missing was a final touch.
Chesterfield deserved to take it to penalties for their second-half efforts. The task now is to get swift revenge in the more important League Two opener at the SMH next week.
Chesterfield (4-2-3-1): Boot; Hutton, McFadzean (capt), Simpson, Gordon; Stirk, McEachran; Markanday, Sotiriou, Koroma; Bonis
Subs: Sissons, Owalabi-Belewu, Pond, Eccleston, Naylor, Butterfield, Mandeville, Anisjko, Bryden
Fleetwood: Lynch, Cirino, Rooney, Bennett, Potter, Neal, Thompson-Summers, McCann, Helm, Davies, Evans (capt)
Subs: Pradic, Andrew, McLean, Costelloe, Dempsey, Animasahun, Sawkins
Referee: Martin Coy
Attendance: 1,619 (579 visitors)