That's five knock-out games under Lee Richardson's stewardship and five times Spireites have crashed out.

This one went to a shoot -out, Mariners scored four from four whilst the home side saw Jamie Ward miss and Phil Picken's effort saved.

Nathan Jarman, once of Barnsley and a Chesterfield triallist a couple of years ago, scored the crucial spot-kick.

However, this is a game they should never have lost. Grimsby Town had two shots on target in the 90 minutes of play and each of them turned into an equaliser. Both concessions were the type that has coaches tearing their hair out.

Jarman equalised with a powder-puff short-ranger from a Nick Hegarty cross. Keeper Tommy Lee seemed to have all angles covered but he contrived to let the ball squirm under his body when a save looked easy.

The Mariners' second leveller came from a short corner. Sub Chris Llewellyn crossed in for another replacement, Danny North, last season's tormentor-in-chief in Grimsby's league double over Spireites, and he headed beyond Lee.

That was the fifth goal from a set play leaked by Chesterfield this season. Richardson and his staff must cut out these blunders if the season is to prove fruitful.

The home side's goals came from the fit-again Jack Leste and Lloyd Kerry. Lester started a fine move passing wide to Ward who sidestepped Tom Newey and delivered a peach for Lester to play a short-range far-post cushioned volley beyond ex-Blade Phil Barnes.

Kerry bagged his second of the season, Ward again the provider, shooting past Barnes who should have done better.

Aaron Downes and Alan Goodall both had powerful headers cleared off the line, by James Hunt and debutant sub Javan Vidal, on loan from Manchester City.

Gregor Robertson seemed to have won it on 87 when he looked to have clipped the ball over Barnes' arm after Jamie Lowry and Ward had pressurised the defence .

Rookie referee David Webb felt Barnes had two hands on the ball at the time of Robertson's intervention. The Chesterfield camp, having reviewed the video evidence, said that wasn't the case.

Robertson said: "I don't know why he disallowed it, I don't think the keeper had two hands on it. I got there first and feel it should have been a goal. We all pressed for the ball, their full back tried to clear it and I got a block in and the goal should have stood."

On a wet and windy night a Chesterfield team that saw five changes from the side that lost to Wycombe Wanderers on Saturday dominated possession and chances. I counted 22 chances for the home side and just half a dozen for Mariners. The corner count was 11-4 to Spireites.

Lowry and Kerry were excellent in midfield, Goodall had a solid game at left back whilst Lester and Ward caused oodles of problems for Alan Buckley's men, but basic errors at the back were again responsible for failing to see off mediocre opposition.

The manager said: "It's a real sickener because, particularly in the second half, we completely dominated the game. In the first half we looked the more threatening and we played some good attacking stuff at times.

"We created a few chances and near things and I don't understand why he disallowed the goal at the end that denied us the victory. I don't thing he could have seen the keeper with both hands on the ball. Gregor was persistent and managed to squeeze it in but the main disappointment is conceding a goal in the second half that had never looked likely.

"Yet again we're talking about our inability just to see a game through. The goal didn't come after any real pressure, it was just a short corner that we didn't deal with."

Jamie Winter took a knock on his shin and looks unlikely to make it for the home game with Rotherham on Saturday.



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