Chesterfield management take a thorough look at squad in extended match at Scunthorpe United
Chesterfield gave a run out to more than 20 players in an extended match away to Scunthorpe United.
Paul Cook’s side played out a 1-1 draw in their final fixture before the Carabao Cup tussle with Fleetwood Town this weekend.
All ten new summer signings got match time but midfielder Josh Benson was not involved after his summer trial.
Ryan Stirk got more than an hour in on his comeback from a clavicle break although left-back Lewis Gordon had to come off with a badly bruised foot. Summer arrival Junior Eccleston, who usually plays on the right, came on in his place.
The match was played in two 45-minute segments and one of 30 minutes.
It was one of the newcomers, George McEachran, who opened the scoring four minutes into the second period with a delicious finish into the top right-hand corner from the edge of the penalty area.
Alfie Beeston slotted past Ryan Boot on 87 minutes to level for the hosts from the National League.
Chesterfield should have had more goals. Liam Mandeville and Lee Bonis had chances and new centre-half Alfie Pond clipped the crossbar after replacing Kyle McFadzean.
There was also a lively late cameo from Fraser Bryden, the Scottish striker brought in on a three-year contract this week.
He smacked a post and demanded two good saves from Louis Jones as he presses his claims for a starting shirt when the action starts for real.
Assistant manager Danny Webb said: “We had been discussing organising a behind-closed-doors friendly for the lads who needed a bit more game time but that’s not really an issue now.
"It was an really competitive game against a top National League team. We missed quite a lot of chances but you’d rather miss them today than against Fleetwood.
"If we want to go and win there in the Carabao Cup before the league game against them then we have to put our chances away better than we did.
"There were still positives from it and fair play to the couple of hundred of our supporters who came along. They were brilliant.”
Chesterfield starting XI: Boot, Gordon, Simpson, McFadzean, Hutton, Stirk, McEachran, Markanday, Mandeville, Koroma, Bonis
Subs: Sissons for Boot (113), Eccleston for Gordon (46), Dunkley for Simpson (78), Pond for McFadzean (78), Whitney for Hutton (78), Butterfield for Stirk (62), Lamptey for McEachran (78), Sotiriiou for Markanday (78), Anisjko for Koroma (85), Bryden for Bonis (78).
Attendance: 1,512 (202 away)