The Shrimps remain unbeaten in six games (albeit five draws) and the Spireites ended a worrying run of three defeats.
Chesterfield boss Lee Richardson reflected: "At the end of the day, it's a point and we've stopped the rot; we're now in double figures which gives us something to build on."
Jack Lester was probably not expecting the opening but he wasted a glorious chance just 17 seconds into the game when he picked up a long clearance from the Spireites keeper.
His right-footed shot was rushed and wide of the left-hand upright. This miss came back to haunt him when Stewart Drummond blasted home a sweet angled drive from 20 yards after just six minutes.
Fifteen minutes later a great fightback saw Chesterfield in front.
Gregor Robertson side-footed Darren Currie's pin-point cross home at the far post and Jamie Ward gleefully slotted the spot-kick past ex-Spireite Barry Roche after home skipper Jim Bentley had struggled with Lester's trickery and needlessly upended the striker on the goalline.
Richardson continued: "Credit to the players for getting back; we got two goals and looked like we could get more before half-time.
"We were hoping we could get an extra one in the second half that would have seen us clear. It was not to be so you're always in danger of being pegged back and I'm disappointed we didn't hold out for the three points."
Chesterfield will rue their first-half wastefulness. Lester twice more missed gilt-edged openings.
On the half-hour mark he burst into the box and shimmied round three defenders with his only reward a flag-kick, given away by ex-Miller and man of the match David Artell, that the impressive Downes failed to capitalize on.
Just before the interval he again waltzed forward past two defenders only to see goalscorer Drummond sufficiently alert to clear the danger.
It's fair to say that the Spireites reached the interval looking comfortable but the omens didn't bode well for the second period.
The weather that had started out being merely awful stepped up a gear. The wind got stronger and the rain lashed down incessantly making simply keeping upright a difficulty and the home team, kicking towards their supporters and with the wind at their back, were spurred on.
The Spireites boss added: "To be fair to both sides, in ridiculous conditions it wasn't a bad game of football. However, it can be frustrating when you're leading and you can't get out.
"It looks like you're sitting in to defend but you're not. It was hard to get in behind them; we were penned in from their goal kicks."
The equaliser, when it came was hardly unexpected as the pressure had been building throughout the second half.
Michael Twiss, surpisingly replaced late in the game, had prompted many of the home attacks and had gone close himself on three occasions.
He also twice set up Craig Stanley who failed to trouble Spireites keeper Carson with any of his efforts.
Twiss' replacement, Morecambe-born Aaron Taylor, was making his league debut. He was an immediate threat and had a reasonable claim for a penalty after going down in the box.
The leveller, five minutes from time, came from a long throw down the left flank that wasn't dealt with.
Taylor flicked Wayne Curtis' throw on to the woodwork and Rene Howe, on a season-long loan from Peterborough, was on hand to bundle in the rebound from close range.
Richardson added: "I thought the team functioned well. We looked a team. Downes and Goodall at the back were excellent and the front two worked tirelessly."
How Richardson converts that endeavour into a more consistent points payback is the question everyone is asking, and the next fixture, which sees the popular Wayne Allison return as assistant manager of Chester City. will be a severe test of whether Chesterfield can also up their game at Saltergate.
What do you think? Post your comments below. READ MORE Blades Watch 08-09 - The Season So FarOwls Watch 08-09 - The Season So FarWatch Premiership highlights, international football, golf, tennis, darts and much moreFootball headlinesMore BladesMore OwlsMore SpireitesMore RoversMore RedsMore MillersMore Ice HockeyMore rugby leagueMore rugby unionMore boxingSports columnistsAll sport categoriesThe full article contains 761 words and appears in Sheffield Star newspaper.
