Chesterfield finish pre-season campaign with defeat against Sheffield United
Spireites ended their pre-season campaign with a 4-1 defeat against a clinical Sheffield United side.
The promotion-chasing Blades took a firm grip of the contest with goals from Jefferson Caceres and Ehije Ukaki inside the opening 12 minutes.
Anel Ahmedhodzic extended that lead further just after the half hour mark, before Lee Bonis pulled one back as Spireites showed plenty of pluck before the break.
But any hope of a thrilling comeback were put on ice six minutes into the second half when Tom Cannon wrapped it up with a cool finish.
The defeat will fail to take the shine off what has been a successful pre-season campaign, with wins over Europe Point and Burton Albion as well as draws with Nottingham Forest and Alfreton all chalked up.
Town now get the real business underway next Saturday when they host a Barrow side which will certainly not possess the attacking prowess on show by United.
The Championship side showed their quality from the off with Caceres putting United ahead with a simple finish on five minutes after Town were ripped open up down the right.
Zach Hemming was forced into a save by Cannon minutes later as the Blades continued to look threatening.
That threat was there for all to see when Ukaki put the finishing touch to a slick passing move on 12 minutes to double the advantage.
Ahmedhodzic flicked home Gustavo Hamer’s cross to extend that lead just after the half hour mark as United threatened to run away with it.
But battling Spireites did pull a goal back on 37 minutes when Bonis calmly slotted home the rebound after Dilan Markanday had seen a shot saved.
The alert Bonis was denied a second by the offside flag after he pounced on another saved shot four minutes later.
Cannon failed to find the target twice as United again imposed themselves at the start of the second half.
But Cannon made no mistake on 51 minutes when he fired Sam McCallum’s teasing cut-back into the roof of the net.
Dylan Duffy could only pick out the keeper from the edge of the box minutes later after Spireites worked an opening.
Ryan One smacked the outside of the post after Spireites were hit on the counter on 72 minutes.
It proved to be the last meaningful moment with the game petering out in the closing stages.
Get the latest Spireites news daily on our website.