Rai Simons and his Chesterfield Football Club teammates conceded two first half goals against Sheffield Wednesday as they went down 2-0 in their first home match of their pre-season programme.
Danny Wilson included new recruits Ryan Fulton and Paul McGinn in his starting line-up while fellow summer signings Reece Mitchell and Kristian Dennis were among the substitutes. There was also a starting role for first-year professional Curtis Morrison.
Wednesday, who lost in last season’s Championship play-off final, fielded a strong side which included the likes of Fernando Forestieri, Ross Wallace, Barry Bannan and Lucas Joao.
Forestieri threatened inside the opening minutes of the game but was unable to get a shot on target while Wallace fired over after finding some space just outside the area.
The visitors took a ninth minute lead when Jack Hunt crossed low from the right and Lee, sliding in, found the net.
When Forestieri tried to find a way through, Sam Hird made a challenge and Fulton easily gathered the loose ball.
As Wednesday continued to press, Marco Matias tried a first-time shot at the far post which was deflected wide and Forestieri’s effort on the turn was also off-target.
Chesterfield’s first chance in front of goal came when Jay O’Shea whipped in a cross from the right which was met by Hird, but his effort lacked the power or direction to test keeper Joe Wildsmith, who saved easily.
Wednesday increased their lead when Forestieri (28) fired a low shot past Fulton following a neat build-up.
McGinn put a low ball in towards Sylan Ebanks-Banks, but Tom Lees made an important clearance.
Dan Jones then delivered a low cross which found Morrison at the far post, but the youngster failed to make proper contact, putting the ball wide of Wildsmith’s left-hand post.
The Chesterfield line-up showed seven changes at the start of the second half. On came Mitchell, Dennis, Simons, Gboly Ariyibi, Charlie Raglan, Connor Dimaio and Dion Donohue. The players to make way were Jones, O’Shea, Ebanks-Blake, Morrison, Ian Evatt, Dan Gardner and Ollie Banks.
Simons ran at the Wednesday defence and squared to Dennis who had a shot blocked from just outside the area.
Fulton had to be alert as Joao threatened to find a way through, with the young loanee from Liverpool quick off his line to claim the ball.
The visitors made ten changes just after the hour-mark as Carlos Carvalhal took the opportunity to give some youngsters and fringe players a run-out.
One of the substitutes, George Hirst, found his way past Charlie Raglan and advanced into the area, but Hird was there to cut out the danger.
Ariyibi thrilled the home crowd when he used his pace to get past Jeremy Helan and reach the right-hand byline before finding Dennis and the striker shot narrowly wide.
There were three further changes for Chesterfield in the 77th minute with Conor Brennan taking over from Fulton in goal and Liam Graham and Ritchie Humphreys replacing McGinn and Gary Liddle.
Ariyibi again made his presence known on the right-hand side of the area but his cross failed to pick anyone out.
Wednesday’s Jack Stobbs tried a shot from the edge of the area which cleared the bar and that proved to be the final effort of the game.
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