Torquay United pulled off the unlikeliest of comebacks as they scored two added time goals to earn a point against Chesterfield at the Technique Stadium.
After a goalless first half, Kabongo Tshimanga bagged a brace to send Chesterfield into a two-goal lead with just 15 minutes to go.
The Gulls struck back and earned a point after Armani Little, and Tom Lapslie fired home during the six minutes of added time.
The Spireites controlled the opening exchanges of the game and came close to taking the lead through Stefan Payne. The striker was played through on goal twice in the opening ten minutes but saw both efforts deflected wide of the goal.
The home side continued to pressure the Gulls’ goal. George Carline came closest for the Spireites in the first half with a long-range volley that drifted inches wide of the net.
However, Torquay should have had their noses in front just before the break when Klaidi Lolos was brilliantly denied twice by Scott Loach.
Minutes into the second half, Torquay should have taken the lead. The ball fell perfectly to Lolos just a few yards from goal, but Mandeville provided a last stitch block to deny the forward.
On the hour mark, Chesterfield marched into the lead. Calvin Miller made a strong run down the left before firing in a low cross into the box; Shaun MacDonald spilled it into the path of Tshimanga, who needed no invitation to tap home.
The goal allowed the Spireites to continue their domination and it wasn’t long before the lead was double. Tshimanga was the first to latch onto a rebound, after George Carline had his header saved by MacDonald, and sweep home into an empty net.
The visitors reduced arrears with time almost up. The ball fell nicely to Little in the box, and he slid the ball past Loach.
With six minutes of time added on at the end of the second half, there was time for Torquay to grab an unlikely point and they did. Little’s corner eventually scrambled home by substitute Lapslie and sparked elation in the away end.
Chesterfield (5-3-2): Loach 6; Carline 7, Kerr 6, Gunning 6, Maguire 6, Miller 7 (Whittle 89); Weston 7, McCourt 7, Mandeville 7 (Khan 69, 6); Payne 7 (Rowe 75, 6), Tshimanga 8.
Subs not used: King, Grimes.
Attendance: 5,127
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