The Spireites couldn’t slay the Dragons for the second time this week as Bobby Grant’s second-half header cancelled out Mike Fondop’s dink to force a replay at the Racecourse.
John Sheridan named an unchanged starting eleven as the same side that were triumphant in North Wales on Tuesday. Johnathan Smith and Anthony Spyrou reclaimed a space on the Spireites subs bench which was allowed seven instead of the usual five.
Wrexham skipper Shaun Pearson returned his the side after suffering a virus in midweek replacing Michael Chambers
Chesterfield had the first chance of the game when Joe Rowley cut in from the right hand side and fired a shot at goal, but Lainton got down to palm it out for a corner.
The visitors had an opportunity of their own a short while later when James Horsfield’s cross found the head of Paul Rutherford, but the resulting effort was saved smartly by Spireites keeper Shwan Jalal.
It was in the 10th minute when the Spireites went ahead. A mistake from Dragons skipper Pearson allowed Fondop through to dink it over keeper Rob Lainton, putting the Spireites one up against his former club.
Jalal was forced to deny Rutherford again when he tipped his low strike past the post for a corner in the 27th minute.
However, Wrexham’s closest chance of making the scoresheet in the first 45 was when Tom Denton nearly headed it into his own net. The striker’s aerial threat has proved useful when defending set pieces in recent weeks, but this time nearly cost his side the lead as he saw his header whistle wide of Jalal’s post.
With his side still trailing a goal to nil, Dean Keates made a triple substitution on the hour mark. Devonte Redmond, Akil Wright and JJ Hooper all coming onto the field.
No more than a minute later, the substitutes made an instant impact and the Dragons found their equaliser. Redmond crossed the ball into Bobby Grant who headed home to level.
The Spireites really should have secured their place in the first round proper just three minutes from time when Anthony Spyrou was played through. He took it round Lainton but somehow Pearson got back to keep the ball out of the empty net.
With the scores level at full-time, the two sides will battle it out at the Racecourse for the second consecutive Tuesday night; Chesterfield hoping for the same outcome as last week.
Chesterfield: Jalal, Yarney (Mandeville 78), Evans (C), Hollis, Sheridan, Rowley, Weston, Wedgbury (Smith 37), Gevaro, Fondop (Spyrou 69), Denton.
Unused Substitutes: Coddington, Gerrard, McGlashan, Boden.
Attendance: 2,199 (330 away)
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