Chesterfield FC fell to a 2-1 defeat against Rotherham United at the AESSEAL New York stadium, with a late defensive error proving costly despite the Spireites equalising from the penalty spot.
Liam Mandeville converted a late penalty to level the match and cancel out Fabio Tavares' first-half opener for Rotherham. The visitors appeared to have salvaged a point, but veteran Paul Mullin exploited a defensive slip to secure the win for the hosts.
Boot's save not enough
Ryan Boot made a first-half penalty save for Chesterfield when Tom Bradshaw stepped up for Rotherham, keeping the Spireites in the contest during a match in which they dominated possession.
Tavares created several chances for the Millers but failed to convert before his opening goal. Despite Chesterfield's control of the ball, Rotherham capitalised on their opportunities to claim victory.
Historic record and return
The defeat was Chesterfield's first league visit to Rotherham in 13 years. That previous fixture also ended in a single-goal loss, maintaining United's recent dominance in the fixture.
Historically, Chesterfield hold twice as many wins against Rotherham as the hosts have achieved.
Manager Paul Cook kept the same starting lineup and substitutes bench from the previous week's fixture at Salford. Over 2,000 Chesterfield supporters travelled to the ground and vocally backed their team from kick-off.